Goodbye Forever Ranma Hello
by A. Amishi
Summary: Ranma washes up on an island with no memory of who SHE is.  As time passes, Akane becomes the only one holding out hope that Ranma is still alive, and sets out on her own to prove she is right.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

Description: This story takes place after the end of the manga series. Akane and Ranma are each 17 years old and will be beginning their 2nd year of high school soon. Akane still has difficulty admitting her true feelings and Ranma is as big a jerk as ever, but when Ranma vanishes and turns up as a girl on a small tropical island with no memory of who he or she really is; both Akane and Ranma must learn new things about themselves. This story features most of the main characters we've all come to love and a handful of original characters.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

Chapter 1: Separation makes the heart grow fonder

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Soun Tendo got up on the platform at the end of the dojo where the band was playing and accepted the microphone from the band leader. "A toast!" Soun raised his glass high and the assembly of guests followed suit. He waited a moment for everyone to quiet down. "To my lovely daughter and her new husband. May Kami-sama shower them with blessings and fill their lives together with joy and happiness, forever."

"Hai!" Rang out in the Tendo dojo, followed by shouts of, "Kiss, Kiss…"

The young couple blushed but relented to the cheers of the crowd, which triggered a roar of approval.

Genma Saotome re-filled his friend Soun's glass then filled his own. A city councilman and long time friend of Soun Tendo walked up to the two men. "You must be so proud Tendo-kun. She's a lovely girl and he is so accomplished. Your dojo's legacy is now secured."

Soun sighed. "Sadly, no. He intends to continue on in his practice."

"So your daughter will be moving out?"

"Mmm, they are both young still. They need their privacy." Soun took a drink of his sake.

"But who will take care of the house now that she is leaving?"

"Well, I do have two other daughters and Nodoka Saotome-san is living with us now, so..."

Genma drained his glass, filled it with the bottle he was carrying, and drained it again. "Now, if only we could get the _other_ young couple together."

"Hmm." Soun nodded. "Then the dojo would be secured."

"Congratulations again, Kasumi-chan. You make a beautiful bride and I'm sure you'll make a wonderful wife and mother. Tofu-sensei is a lucky man." Kasumi's friend, Yuki leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you, Yuki-chan. It is so kind of you to say, but I truly feel like I'm the lucky one." Kasumi glanced over her shoulder and smiled seeing her groom carrying on an animated conversation with his mother and brothers.

Smiling, Yuki turned to her friend's sister, "So, Akane-chan, when are you and Ranma-san going to tie the knot? Soon, I hope." Both Yuki and Kasumi giggled.

Akane was ready for this. She knew with Kasumi getting married, inevitably someone was bound to bring up her relationship with Ranma. "Yuki-san, you're so terrible. This is Kasumi-oneechan's day. Let's leave me out of this, at least this once." Then she turned to her sister. "Congratulations Onee-chan." She leaned in and kissed her sister on the cheek. "I'm so happy for you."

Before Akane could back away, Kasumi wrapped her arms around her little sister and hugged her tight. "I owe this all to you, Akane. If you hadn't made me face the truth, this day never would have come. Thank you, thank you for making me so very happy."

They held each other close, Kasumi radiated with joy, while Akane was filled with happiness for her sister and just a tinge of envy. She would have been happy to stay like this all night long, but as she said; this was Kasumi's day and she needed to slip into the background. Separating from their hug, Akane tried desperately to think of something to say; something wise and profound, something her sister would remember for years to come; but her mind was a blank, nothing deep and meaningful, nothing thought provoking or inspiring came to her. All she could do was smile and in the end she settled on some meaningless clichés about marriage and living happily ever after. Kasumi was as gracious as ever and thanked her even while Akane was sure her own expression told her sister how much she wanted to kick herself for spewing out such meaningless drivel. "Well, I better make sure the trays are all full." She smiled and slipped away just as several of Kasumi's friends approached. Akane walked right pass the food trays and quietly made her way out of the dojo and into the garden.

The wedding ceremony had been held out here amongst the flowers, near the pond, providing a picturesque setting for the blessed event. It was a small, private ceremony attended by family and only a few close friends and officiated over by a Shinto priest from the nearby shrine. The reception, on the other hand, which was well underway in the dojo, was very well attended. All of Kasumi's friends from high school were there. Most of the local shop owners were also in attendance, all of whom loved Kasumi like a daughter and each gave numerous expensive gifts to the young couple. Of course, Tofu Ono's entire family was also in attendance. Ranma and his mother and father were present along with a number of city officials all of whom held Soun Tendo in high regard. Kasumi had offered to invite all of Ranma's "friends", but Akane, not wanting a repeat of the disaster that took place during her failed wedding, rejected the idea.

Now the garden was empty, save for the pads everyone had knelt upon. Akane picked a flower and strolled over to the pond. Plucking one peddle at a time, she tossed it into the water. After tossing in a sixth peddle she sighed. "What am I wishing for?" and she dropped the flower into the pond. Looking up at the stars, she drew in a deep breath and held it for a moment. "I'm happy for you, Onee-chan, truly I am." She sighed again. "Will I ever find a love like yours?" Images of Ranma flashed in her mind. "Right, like Ranma could ever be as sweet and kind as …" but before she could finish her thought, memories came to mind which silenced her. Memories of the time Ranma give her a bouquet of flowers and asked her on a date; memories of growing whiskers after eating super soba noodles and Ranma climbing to the top of the tall tree to give her the antidote; memories of their battle over the legendary warrior suit and how Ranma saved her from landing on the freshly painted park bench and held her in his arms for nearly an hour not once complaining about the wet paint soaking into his clothes; and memories of Jusendo and how Ranma poured out his heart to her when he thought she was dead. _I suppose it's possible. Anything is possible, really. I guess it wouldn't hurt to give him half a chance, would it._

"So this is where you ran off to." Ranma stepped out into the garden.

"Mmm, just getting some fresh air." Akane dusted off some non-existent lint from her dress.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I never realized Kasumi-chan had so many friends." Ranma picked his teeth with a toothpick and spat out the bits of food he uncovered.

"Ugh! That's disgusting!" Akane turned to the side so as not to look at him.

Ranma took the sliver of wood from his mouth, and holding it between his fingers, he flung it towards the tall wooden fence. The toothpick pierced a hole in the fence and lodged itself halfway through the neighbor's fence across the street. "That was really nice of you."

"Huh?" Akane turned.

"Telling your sister about Tofu-sensei and all. That was really nice of you."

Akane looked down at the floor before replying. "I'm sure he would have told her sooner or later. They're just so perfect together. I couldn't bear seeing them apart any longer." She paused, and remembered back on that day.

Tofu Ono was near tears the last time Akane had stopped by his office. He had tried to ask Kasumi out on a date but as usual he fumbled with his words and acted like a complete fool around her. Clueless to his feelings towards her, Kasumi just smiled and went about her business as usual. Akane saw the pain written so plainly upon the good doctor's face and tried to talk to him about it. Tofu laughed and said it was not important, but Akane pressed him on it. Suddenly and without warning, he grabbed her arms and asked with watery eyes, "What is wrong with me?" Then he buried his face in her shoulder and wept.

Akane held him close and silently wept along with him. 

He asked again, "What is wrong with me? Why can't I speak to Kasumi-chan like a normal human being?"

Akane knew the answer; she knew what to say, but holding Tofu in her arms her mouth refused to work. Her mind returned her to the days when she still had a crush on the young doctor. Holding him in her arms now was like fulfillment of a long forgotten dream.

They stayed in this embrace for over a minute. Gradually, Tofu's tears subsided and he slowly pried himself from Akane's embrace. "Thank you. I'm sorry to have imposed upon you." He wiped his eyes roughly. "Akane-chan..."

Now the dream was gone and reality returned. _This isn't right, _she told herself. She grabbed her school bag from the chair. "I have to go." And she ran out the door. 

Upon entering the house, Akane headed straight for the kitchen where Kasumi was busy making dinner. "Oh, hello, Akane." Kasumi paused and stared closely at her sister. "Akane, are you all right? Is something wrong?"

Akane shook her head. "No, I'm not all right and there is something wrong. There is something wrong with you, Onee-chan."

"With me?"

"Onee-chan, Tofu-sensei loves you."

"What?" Kasumi nearly dropped the pan in her hand. 

Akane took the pan from her and set it on the counter before continuing. "Tofu Ono-sensei loves you, he always has, and he always will. That's why he acts the way he does whenever you're around. You think he's trying to be funny but he only acts that way around you. And it's not because he is trying to impress you or make you laugh. It's because he loves you so much, he goes completely stupid around you."

"Akane, you shouldn't joke about things like that." Kasumi turned away slightly, avoiding eye contact with her sister.

"It's not a joke," Akane insisted. "Ask anyone. Ask the shopkeepers around his clinic. Ask his patients. Even ask Nabiki or Ranma. They'll all tell you the same thing. Everyone knows; everyone has known for years, except you."

"If that is true, why hasn't Tofu-sensei ever said anything to me or even tried to ask me out?" Kasumi countered.

Akane shook her head. "He has tried, hundreds of times; even today. Earlier when you stopped by the clinic he tried to ask you out but whenever he is around you he loses control of himself and his senses. After you left, he cried in my arms and asked me what was wrong with him."

"He cried?"

Akane nodded. "The only think wrong with Tofu-sensei is that he loves you so much that he's become terrified with the thought that you might not feel the same way about him, but that's not true, is it Onee-chan? You do love him don't you?"

"Akane..." Kasumi turned away. "It's not that simple."

"Why? Why isn't it that simple? He loves you. You love him. What's so complicated about that?"

Kasumi spun around. "Akane, stop! You're too young. You don't understand."

"I understand that you always put everyone's happiness before your own. I understand that you've been filling mom's role ever since she died. But it's time you stopped. You are not the mother."

"Stop!" Kasumi's hand stung. She looked down at it and saw it was bright red. Looking up she saw Akane holding her hand over her cheek and fresh tears escaping her eyes. "Akane. I'm sorry." She took a step towards her little sister, but Akane turned and ran up the stairs, locking herself in her room. "Akane!"

Akane chuckled and put her hand to her cheek. "To tell you the truth, I barely felt Onee-chan's slap. She did it so soft, for a moment I wasn't sure that it happened at all. I was more shocked than anything. It was impossible to imagine Onee-chan getting angry at all, let alone actually hitting me."

Ranma chuckled as well.

Akane let out a gasp and turned towards Ranma. "Wait a minute. How did you know I was the one to tell Tofu-sensei about Onee-chan?"

"Well..." Ranma scratched the back of his head and suddenly found the tops of his shoes incredibly interesting. Glancing back up at Akane, he saw she was still waiting for his reply, so he let out a sigh and straightened up to look at her properly. "To tell you the truth, I was at the clinic when …" He looked away again and blushed. "Well, when you know." He stole a look over at Akane. "When Tofu-sensei was crying in your arms." He scratched the back of his head again.

Akane was embarrassed beyond words. She just stared at Ranma, unable or unwilling to believe her ears. Ranma waited for a moment to see what Akane would do; scream, yell, send him flying. Instead, she just stared speechlessly at him. "Well, I was still there when Kasumi-chan arrived a little while later." Ranma forced a grin. "And Tofu-sensei got all tongue-tied and nervous. You know how he gets around your sister." He stole another glance at Akane. "Well, she grabbed a hold of him and told him that you told her that he loved her, so she asked him directly if it was true; if he really loved her. For the first time, Sensei was able to speak clearly around Kasumi-chan. And he did it. He told her he loved her, and he always had."

Akane continued to stare at Ranma a moment longer before blinking away the shock. "I always knew he did." She smiled. "I'm happy for them. Really, I am. Kasumi-oneechan deserves to be happy and I'm sure Tofu-sensei will make her very happy."

She looked back over at Ranma and saw that look in his eyes. It was a look that he had been given her ever since, well ever since she told Kasumi how Tofu felt about her. It was a dumb look, a stupid look that had annoyed Akane to no end. But now with what he had said to her earlier, it seemed to make sense, sort of. "Is that why you've been looking at me funny all this time?" Akane shook her head. "Because you thought I did something nice, something saintly." She chuckled. "You're such a dummy, Ranma." She regretted her words the moment they passed her lips.

The young martial artist blushed and a deep frown crossed his face.

"Ranma, I didn't mean that. Really." She stepped closer to him. "I appreciate that you think what I did was so nice."

Ranma's anger subsided and he returned to staring into her eyes. "Are you sure you're really okay with Tofu-sensei marrying your sister? I mean with the way you felt about him and all." A hint of sadness crept into his expression.

Akane smiled back up to him. "I'm sure. I got over Tofu-sensei nearly a year ago. You remember. I'm just … I don't know." She looked away. "I guess I'm just being a little selfish."

Ranma stuffed his hands in his pockets and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Selfish? About what?"

"About love." She turned back towards him and asked, "Do you ever thing about love, Ranma? About whom you want to spend the rest of your life with? About …" She blushed and looked away. "us?"

Ranma was sure he never saw Akane look any cuter than she did at this very moment. He wanted to tell her that he had been thinking a lot about 'us' recently. In fact, 'us' had been dominating his thoughts ever since Akane told Kasumi about Tofu. He wanted to tell her this, and so much more. Instead, something very different came out of his mouth. "'Us'… What 'us'? He laughed and looked away, but kept his guard up expecting a patented Akane punch or kick. Neither came. He turned in time to see a single tear run down Akane's cheek. _What have I done? _"Akane!" He stepped towards her but she shoved him aside and ran to the house. Ranma gave no resistance, shifting out of the way, but the heel of his foot hit one of the stones surrounding the pond and he lost his balance and fell back into the cold water.

Akane tried desperately to fight back the tears. _Ranma, you jerk. You said you loved me once. Was I just dreaming? Was it wishful thinking on my part that made me hear you say it?_

Ranma splashed her way up to the surface of the water. She pulled herself out of the water and looked down at herself. His new suit was ruined and the expensive leather shoes his mother insisted he buy were still at the bottom of the pond. In frustration she screamed out, "You stupid thick-waist, macho chick!" She sighed and hung her head. _What is wrong with me?_

Akane locked the door to her room and took of the new dress she bought especially for the wedding. She lay down on her bed and curled up tightly. _What is wrong with me? Why does he hate me so? Why do I keep putting up with him? _She closed her eyes and let the tears flow. "I hate you, Ranma. I really, really do hate you."

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Unknown to the disagreeable couple, their fathers saw their brief exchange.

"When will those two learn to get along long enough to get married?" Soun shook his head in disgust.

"If there were only some way to make those two realize just how much they really mean to each other." Genma rubbed his chin pensively. Soun folded his arms and stared up at the stars. "Well, they do say, distance makes the heart grow founder."

"Hmm..."

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Later that night after the celebrating was over and the Tendo house had grown quiet with the gentle sounds of slumber, Genma was still up watching the weather channel and searching weather related websites. A grin played across his face. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and checked the time. "Hmm, I can get a few hours sleep before we'll have to go." He got up and went to his room. Though his wife, Nodoka, was now occupying Kasumi's old room, Genma still shared the upstairs guest room with his son. He stealthily entered the room and lay upon his futon. Looking over at the sleeping boy, he grinned. "This is for your own good, Ranma." He chuckled and soon after fell asleep.

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Early the next morning Genma woke Ranma by dropping the boy's backpack on him.

"What do you think you're doing, old man?"

Genma shouldered his own backpack. "Get ready boy. We're going on a training journey. You've been getting soft. A week at sea should toughen you up, but we have no time to waste. Pack your bag and say your goodbyes to your mother and Akane."

"Akane? Why would I want to say goodbye to that macho chick?"

Genma thumped the boy over the head. "Show some respect to your fiancée." Then he slid the door shut and stormed off.

"Wonder what's eating him?" Ranma shrugged it off and went about packing his stuff. "By the sea... hmm... guess I'll need my trunks." He grabbed them out of the closet. "Or maybe my swimsuit instead." He pulled out his girl's swimsuit. "If I'm actually gonna be in the water, I guess I'll need this one instead." Holding up both, he shrugged. "May as well take them both."

Ranma entered the kitchen to find his mother already cooking, even though it was still an hour before they usually had breakfast. "Morning mom. Isn't it a little early to eat?"

"Good morning Ranma." She walked over to her son and gave him a loving hug.

"What's wrong mom?" She seemed unusually melancholy this morning.

Nodoka released him and turned back to the stove. "It's nothing. It's just after losing so many years while you were away training, it is hard to see you head off on another trip, even if it is just a week."

Ranma smiled and walked up behind her giving her shoulders a soft squeeze. "Don't worry, mom. Everything will be fine. I'll be back before you know it."

His mother forced a smile. "Of course, you are right." She drew in a deep breath and let it out. "Anyway, this isn't breakfast. This is for you and your father to take on your trip." She busied herself in preparing the food. "Your breakfast is already on the table. Eat it before it gets cold."

"Okay, thanks mom." Ranma headed off to the washitsu without a second thought. Had he looked over at his mother, he would have seen her wiping away the tears from her eyes.

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Ranma and Genma stood ready to go as they said their last goodbyes to Soun and Nodoka.

"We should be back in a little over a week, two at the most." Genma assured them.

"Two weeks." Nodoka sighed.

"Just over a week; two on the outside. That's all." Soun patted Nodoka on the shoulder while giving Genma a knowing wink. Genma responded in kind.

"What is it with you two?" asked Ranma. "What's with all the secret winks?"

"Winks?" Nodoka looked at Genma then glanced over at her family sword which now hung mounted on the wall. Old habits died hard.

As beads of sweat sprang across Genma's forehead, he backed away into the garden. "Well, time to go boy!"

But before they could head out, Soun asked, "Ranma, did you say goodbye to Akane?" Again, he threw another wink to his friend.

Ranma looked away forcing a cynical laugh. "Hey, right. Like I want to wake her up to say bye and get clobbered for the effort? No thanks."

Before Soun or Genma could protest, Nodoka stepped forward. "Ranma, that's not very nice. She is your fiancée and such a sweet girl too."

Ranma looked away. "It doesn't really matter. I'll be back before she even realizes I went anywhere."

Nodoka put a gentle hand under his chin to turn his face towards her. "Is that how you really feel?"

Ranma tried to look away, but his mother was persistent. Staring into her eyes was like staring at a mirror into his own heart. He saw it all so clearly. Akane was in a long flowing dress; the gentle waves in her short hair; just the slightest hint of makeup to bring out her large soft eyes and her moist red lips. For a brief moment Ranma's expression softened but then the memory of what he said came back to him _'Us' What 'us'?_ He knew then what he should do was go and apologize to Akane, but whether it was because he was too proud or too embarrassed, he backed away and turned to the side. "It doesn't matter. We'll be back in a couple weeks anyway. No big deal. Come on Pop. If we're going, let go."

Nodoka was about to attempt to persuade him once more when a sudden creek of the floor caught her attention. Turning, she saw Akane standing at the bottom of the stairs with a deep sadness etched on her face.

Nodoka approached the young teenage girl and smiled gently. "Akane-chan, go to him. Let him know you'll be waiting for him."

Akane drew in a deep breath and looked up into Mrs. Saotome's eyes. For a moment she saw Ranma in the suit he was wearing last night, his hair combed, and his ever present cocky grin. She sighed and her eyes watered just a bit, but right when she was about to rush out into the garden in order to catch Ranma, she saw the arrogant Ranma saying to her, _'Us' What 'us' ... stupid thick-waist, macho chick!_

Akane had her pride too, and today it would not allow her to forgive Ranma his transgression. "I'm sorry, Saotome-ojosama." She turned and ran back up the stairs.

Nodoka watched her son's fiancée run out of sight and heard Akane's bedroom door slam shut. She looked on with sadness in her eyes, first up at the empty hallway, and then out towards the front gate just in time to catch a glimpse of her son's back as he turned the corner and was out of sight. "Come home safe, my son; for me, and for Akane-chan's sake."

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Genma Saotome rowed the small two person boat at a slow steady pace while his son swam along side. "Come on boy! You only have two more days to reach Fukuoka before the direction of the current shifts and you turn into a girl."

Ranma stopped to tread water. "Easy for you to say! You're not the one swimming against the current!"

"Do you think its easy rowing this boat?" Genma snapped back. "My back aches and my arms feel like rubber, but you don't hear me complaining now, do you?" Genma flexed his arm and patted his bicep. "So stop acting like a little girl and swim." He began rowing again.

Ranma felt pangs of guilt down in his stomach. His dad was right. Not once over the past five days did Genma whine or complain. Not only had his dad been rowing nonstop, but even though it was only April, it was unseasonably hot. Ranma knew if he had been rowing the past five days, he would be swimming in his own sweat. Just then, something occurred to him. His father was not covered in sweat. In fact, he was hardly perspiring at all. How was this possible, Ranma wondered? Suddenly, he dove down and swam under the boat. There he saw it, a small propeller turning steadily. _That lazy, good for nothing old man. _He broke the propeller off with his bare hands.

The boat jerked violently as it started moving backwards with the current. "What did you do?" Genma yelled when Ranma broke the surface.

"I evened things up, that's what. Now, let's go!" He started swimming against the warm tropical current which enabled him to remain a boy for a change.

Genma struggled to keep pace with his son, gasping for air and sweating profusely. "Slow down boy. Give me a chance … to catch my breath."

"Shut up old man!" Ranma snapped back. "You've only been rowing for three hours, so quit your complaining!" For Ranma's part, swimming against the current for the past five days had taken its toll as well. His muscles burned, his lungs were on fire, and he felt like a thin-skinned prune, all wrinkly and ready to tear open from the slightest touch. The one thing Ranma had going for him was that the warm southern currents he was swimming against were just warm enough to keep him from turning into a girl. While he was stronger in his boy form, he was reaching his limit. Fortunately, having caught his father cheating and forcing him to actually work now seemed to re-energize Ranma at least a little bit, and that gave him the resolve he needed to go on. _Two more days before the currents change. I can make it. I can reach Fukuoka in two days. I know I can._

There were few things in life that Ranma Saotome could not overcome by sheer will and determination. One such thing was about to challenge him, for beyond the horizon loomed one of the most powerful and deadly forces in nature. While the sky and seas were calm now, they were about to change soon and pose the greatest challenge in Ranma's life.

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To be Continued…

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Notes: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this new story of mine. It has been a long time since I've posted any new works. If you'd like to discuss this or any other of my stories, or just talk about fan fiction or anime/manga in general, add me to your friends list on facebook, using my FF address.

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A. Amishi


	2. Chapter 2: Desperation

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 2: Desperation

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Over the past six days as Ranma swam against the current, the seas remained relatively calm. He was not forced to battle tall choppy waves. The skies remained clear and sunny, and only the lightest breeze blew. He should have known his luck would not hold out for the entire journey. Though typhoon season usually ran from late summer to early fall, it was not unusual for a typhoon to occur anytime of the year in the Sea of Japan. It was just Ranma's misfortune to have a fierce one upon him now. With winds approaching 320 kilometers an hour and waves over 13 meters high, Ranma and his dad were in a battle for their lives.

"Ranma!" his father cried out. "Get in the boat!" He struggled to keep the small craft upright on the tumultuous seas. "Help me get us to shore!"

"No! I can see the lights of Fukuoka Tower! I can make it!" Ranma swam with everything he had, struggling desperately against the crushing waves.

Genma turned to look towards the distant shoreline. "I don't think that's Fukuoka Tower!"

"It has to be!" Ranma insisted.

Genma looked once more while rowing frantically. "Fine! If it is then get in the boat and we'll head for it together!"

"No! I can make it! I know I can! I'm no quitter!" Ranma swam with every ounce of strength in his body, fiercely fighting the winds and the waters.

"Ranma! It's not worth your life! Come with me, son!" Genma fought to bring the boat closer to him.

"Pop." Ranma could not help but be touched by his father's obvious concern. This was a side of Genma Saotome that Ranma rarely saw. It moved him so that he did something he would never ordinarily do. He gave up. Turning towards the boat he swam with long steady strokes, then when he drew near, he dove under and launched himself up and out of the water. He landed in the boat in front of his father. "Pop, I didn't know you cared."

"Of course I care!" Genma continued to struggle with the oars. "How many sons do you think I have?"

Ranma reached out his hand. "Here, give me one of the oars!"

His father pushed both oars towards him without hesitation. "Take them both!" Then he moved to the end of the boat and curled up into a tight ball. "Get us to shore in one piece! It's the least you can do after giving up, you quitter! I'm going to take a nap!"

The young martial artist's face turned beet red with anger. _You lazy good-for-nothing JERK!_ He swung the oar down and it shattered across his father's head.

Genma let out a howl of agonizing pain. "What was that for?"

Ranma raised the other oar high over his head. "The same reason as this!" Before he could bring it down upon his father, at that very instant, two waves converged along with a mighty gust of wind. The waves and the wind sent Ranma sailing in one direction and the boat in the opposite direction with his father desperately clinging to it.

"Ranma!" His father yelled. "Ranma!" By some miracle the boat landed upright on the water. Despite the rain and the waves, it managed to remain afloat, but with no oars to direct it, the small craft was at the mercy of the storm.

Ranma quickly lost track of what was sky and what was sea as he sailed head over heels through the air. Everything was gray and black, and water battered him from every direction. Suddenly, he hit a wave hard. It felt as if he had just done a belly flop off the high board into an empty pool. In that instant, everything hurt, especially his head. Everything started to get fuzzy and darkness was stealing control of Ranma's consciousness, but as his eyes drifted between open and closed, in the far distance, he saw a light flash.

"... light ..." he murmured. "A light ..." He managed to lift his head slightly. "The light." By shear force of will Ranma began to swim. _I can make it. I can make it._ If someone would have asked why he was swimming towards the light; Ranma would not have been able to give an answer. His head was in a fog and it took his total concentration just to bring his arms around for each stroke; his legs barely moved at all at first but slowly they fell in sync with his arms. With the light as his guide, he continued to battle the wind, the rain, and the waves and slowly work his way towards it.

Had his mind been clear then perhaps Ranma would have noticed that the light was not stationary, but was moving slowly, further and further away from land.

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.

"Look Daddy, it's a panda. A fat one too." The small boy poked the blotted animal with a stick. "Is it dead?"

"I think so, son. Wush! And it stinks. Get away from it before you catch worms." The man walked away and his son reluctantly followed.

_Is that any way to treat a martial arts master? _ Genma Saotome thought to himself. Slowly, he opened his eyes. _That hurts._ He opened his mouth and a river flowed out of him reducing his blotted size by about half. He coughed and a starfish popped out. _I think I'm going to be sick. _

_Aaah, I need to get up, _Genma told himself. Ten minutes passed and he still had not moved. Finally, he opened his mouth and let out a low groan, which in his head meant, "Ranma, help me up." No one replied, so he growled loudly, which this time meant, "Ranma, you lazy brat! Get over here and help your father up!" Still there was no response.

Letting out a low grumble Genma strained with every ounce of strength he could muster and rolled over onto his back. He squinted against the bright mid-day sun which bathed him in light. Lifting his paw off the sandy ground to shade his eyes was like lifting a two ton anchor. He groaned from the effort and gasped for air when he finally dropped his furry arm across his eyes.

About an hour passed before Genma could gather up the strength to sit up. He let out a low roar which meant, "Ranma, you're going to pay for making me work so hard." After focusing his eyes on the gentle waves that lapped the shore before him, Genma turned slightly to look up the shoreline. He saw a handful of beachgoers picking their way through the collection of seashells and fish that had washed up on shore from the storm. He turned his head and looked down the shoreline. Here the sandy beach gave way to a rocky shore where men carrying large wicker baskets walked knee high in the water and gathered up as many fish as they could. Genma looked both ways again and again but saw no sign of his son.

_That ungrateful child must have run off without me. I have a good mind just to head home alone. _He groaned as he stood up and grunted with each step he took across the sand. Heading home without his son seemed like the perfect revenge for how Ranma treated him on the boat during the storm. He remembered vividly the way Ranma struck him over the head with the oar. _That willful child. _Suddenly, the image flashed in his mind of Ranma being thrown from the boat and disappearing amidst the waves. _Ranma! _Genma spun around and looked up and down the beach repeatedly, roaring at the top of his lungs.

Finally realizing it was useless to call out for him while he was a panda, Genma found the nearest public bathhouse, rushed inside the men's bath and stole some clothes as he ran out and returned to the beach.

"Ranma!" He ran the length of the beach. "Ranma! Where are you, boy!" He stopped and checked every person he came across to make sure they were not his son. "Ranma!"

Genma stopped and placed his hands on his knees while gasping for air. "Damn that boy. He has to be around here somewhere. He couldn't have gone much further than I had."

"Excuse me sir. Are you looking for someone?" A small old man pushing a walker came up next to him.

Without straightening up, Genma replied, "Yes, I'm looking for my son."

"Oh, your son, is it? Well, never mind." The old man turned and walked away.

Genma's eyes shot wide open. "Wait!" He rushed over and grabbed hold of the old man. "What do you mean never mind? What do you know?"

Startled, by Genma's reaction, the old man stammered a moment before regaining his composure. "It's just… a girl was found unconscious on this beach just a few hours ago, but you said you were looking for your son, so-"

"Where is he?" Genma gave the man a shake.

"Where is who?"

"Where is he- I mean she? Where is the girl?"

"Oh, well, they took her to the hospital." The old man pointed to the tall building which towered over the surrounding landscape.

Genma looked at the building. _He must be in there. _ He took off running. "Thank you!"

"But it was a girl!" The old man shouted back. Seeing his words had no effect he just shrugged and turned away. "Young people these days; don't listen to no one."

Ranma's father rushed into the emergency room and launched himself at the duty nurse sitting at the front desk. "The girl; where is she?"

"Eek!" The nurse nearly fell over in fright at the scary looking bold man in her face. The crazed look in his eyes did nothing to ease her fears. "W-what girl?"

"The girl found on the beach! Where is she?"

The nurse tried to inch away from him but he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her close. "Where is she?"

"Room 12, down the ha-"

Genma was off running down hall.

Again the nurse nearly fell over. "But sir! They're still working on her in there! You can't go in!" Her words fell on deaf ears. Genma rushed into the room to see a team of doctors and nurses working on the patient. "Ranma." He gasped.

Suddenly, one of the doctor's spoke. "Well, we've done all we can do for her. It's out of our hands now."

"Nooo!" Genma screamed and rushed past them, grabbing the patient's hand. "You can't give up! You can't! You have to save him!"

"Who are you?" The doctor demanded.

"I'm his father." Feeling the smallness of the hand in his, he realized his son was in his girl form. "I-I mean, I'm her father. This is my daughter."

"Well, sir. I understand your concern, but right now your daughter is in a coma. There really isn't anything we can do. The best medicine for her now is rest."

"You don't understand." Genma's mind flashed to Nodoka bringing her blade down upon his neck. "It's a matter of life and death." _My life or death. _"She has to pull through, she has to."

The doctor was sympathetic to Genma's apparent concern for his daughter but he knew his diagnosis was correct. With time and a little bit of luck, the girl would wake up on her own in a few days. "Sir, I understand-"

"NO!" Genma shouted; beads of sweat dotted his forehead. "You don't understand, you can't understand anything. You have to save my daughter and you have to save her now!"

"His daughter?"

Everyone in the room turned to see a man in a tailored suit and a woman in a silk kimono standing at the doorway. The man turned to the woman. "What is the meaning of this, you unfaithful wench?"

The woman bowed low to the man in the suit. "Forgive me husband, but I swear I've never laid eyes upon this man in my life."

The man looked over at Genma with murderous eyes. "Humph! So you claim, but if I'm not mistaken, this man used to be our gardener."

"Gardener?" Genma tightened his hold on the girl's hand. "I'll have you know sir; I have never worked as a gardener in my life.

"Humph!" The man puffed out his chest. "Well, that definitely sounds right because you didn't put in an honest day's work the whole time you worked for us."

Genma's blood began to boil. How could he, master of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts be confused for a common gardener? "Listen here. I don't know who you and your wife are, but you obviously have the wrong room. This is my-" Genma's jaw dropped, when he looked over at the girl on the table. She had long black hair and could not have been more than twelve years old. "Aaah…" He turned towards the doctor. "Excuse me, but there must be some mistake. I was looking for the girl that was found on the beach earlier today."

The chief physician who was completely confused by all that had passed before him gapped at the bald man. "Th-that is the girl. She fell off her friend's yacht about 80 meters off shore and was hit on the head by a surfer as she was swimming in. At least that what her friend's parents said."

Just then the girl let out a weak moan and her eyes fluttered open. She looked over at the strange man staring down at her holding her hand. "Excuse me," she said in a small voice. "Who are you?" she asked timidly.

Beads of sweat began to trickle down Genma's face. He smiled at the little girl and said, "I'm the gardener. So glad to see you're awake."

"I knew it!" The man in the suit yelled. His wife began to cry insisting that she was innocent of the infidelity he was accusing her of, and the doctors and nurses rushed to the girl's side, pushing Genma out of the way. He used the sudden confusion to slip out of the room and out of the hospital.

"What a mess." He gasped. "At least it wasn't Ranma in a coma." Again, the image of his wife bringing her sword down upon his neck sent shivers of terror down his spine. "I have to find him no matter what." With that, Genma took off running. Where to, he did not know but he figured that if this was where the storm had carried him then Ranma could not be too far away. The problem was, where was here? He stopped the first person he saw. A woman carrying a baby nearly jumped out of her skin and screamed when Genma leapt in front of her. "Please madam." Genma straightened up proudly. "I just want to know-" Before he could ask, a hand crushed down on his shoulder like a clamp.

"All right, what's going on here?" An unusually tall man in a police uniform stood behind Genma giving him a suspicious stare.

The middle aged martial artist's arm went completely numb. He smiled nervously up at the tower of a man. "Constable, I'm glad you're here." He lied. "I was just trying to find out where I am."

The officer's suspicion rose. "How can you be here and not know where here is?"

"Sir, please. I can explain." Genma looked down at the officer's hand. Not sure whether to trust the stranger or not, the officer reluctantly released his grip on him.

Feeling quickly returned to his arm, and Genma rotated his shoulder and gave it a rub. "You see, constable, I am a martial artist and I was training with my son off the coast of Fukuoka when a storm hit. It took us completely by surprise. I washed up on shore here but I don't know where here is. Can you help me?"

The officer's suspicious stare returned. "You mean to tell me you were carried from Fukuoka all the way to Kumihama Beach by the typhoon and survived?"

"Kumihama Beach!" Genma was beside himself. _How is that possible? That means Ranma could be anywhere between Fukuoka and here, or maybe even further north._

The officer scratched his chin. "Saay, didn't you say you were a martial artist? You weren't the guy causing all that ruckus at the hospital just now? He started reaching for his handcuffs.

Genma bowed. "Thank you, constable, but I must be going now." He pivoted around. "Saotome Secret Technique!" He took off running down the street.

"Hey, you! Get back here!" The officer ran after him but lost Genma after just one block. "Where did he go? He huffed. Unsure where his prey had gone, the officer headed back up the street in hopes of getting more information from the woman with the baby.

The full realization of the situation finally hit Genma. His son, his only son was missing. But could he really be that far from where he had washed up on shore? He felt certain that Ranma had to be close by so he began searching each and every building. When the coast was clear, he went back along the shoreline. Ranma had to be somewhere nearby, he was certain, some where, but where?

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A man who would be celebrating his birthday in three weeks and two days stood along the deserted shore. Normally, the beach would be overflowing with swimmers and sun bathers, but the storm chased away the tourists and sent the small island's inhabitants to their homes and businesses to assess and repair the damage.

The man had tan leathery skin which served to make him look at least 10 years older than his 26 years. An angry scar ran down the side of his face from above his eye down across his cheek and to his chin. He stood with the aid of two canes and his hands showed the calluses of many years of walking with these wooden appendages. He was a thin man with hollow cheeks and narrow shoulders. He wore a navy blue samue which was badly faded from too many days out under the hot tropical sun. He couldn't recall how many times people had suggested he buy himself a new one. His samue was too old and too big for his slight build they told him. He would just smile and go about his business. He usually wore his sandals as well, but with all the debris everywhere it was easier to maintain his balance without them. He looked to be a man who had endured many hardships in life; however, despite this, or perhaps because of this, he had a sparkle in his eyes; the type of sparkle that only people who really knew how to appreciate life generally had.

He surveyed the damage caused by the storm. On one hand, he was pleased to see that his efforts to protect the small shacks that dotted this part of the island seemed mostly successful. On the other hand, he was saddened to see the amount of sea life that had washed on shore and now lay baking on the hot morning sand.

Other items were also washed up on shore. The thin man identified them as best he could from his vantage point atop the stone walkway overlooking the beach: chunks of broken corral, parts from old ships sunk off shore decades or possibly centuries ago, a car fender, hundreds of bottles, and lots and lots of seaweed. Among one particularly large clump of seaweed there was something else, something that looked almost …

"No, it couldn't be." His eyes must be deceiving him, he thought but nevertheless he made his way down to the sand and began working his way towards the large cluster of seaweed; seaweed and something more, something … almost human looking. The closer he got to the shoreline the more certain he was of what he saw, the faster he tried to go but the sand and the debris worked against him and he fell, landing full face on a tuna.

"Calm down," he told himself. "You won't do anyone any good if you injure yourself." After taking a few deep breaths, he grabbed his canes and slowly stood up. He made his way past the collection of dead fish, driftwood, and seaweed until he finally reached his destination. His eyes had not deceived him. A young girl with bright red hair lay naked and unconscious in the midst of a large gathering of seaweed where the water lapped against the sandy shore. With a sense of urgency tamed by years of self-discipline, the man checked to make sure the girl's heart was beating. Thank goodness it was. He checked for a breath. It was shallow and a bit raspy, so he turned her on her side and pressed down on her ribs. A small amount of water spilled out of her mouth. He checked her breath again. It was still weak but it sounded clearer this time. Confident that she was in no immediate danger he took the time to free the girl from the seaweed tangled around her.

"Thank goodness." The man breathed a sigh of relief. There were no signs of any serious injuries on the young girl, only minor cuts and a host of bruises but nothing life-threatening; no broken bones or dislocated joints either, at least as best he could tell. Still, he would have to get her to the doctor, or at least the next closest thing they had to a doctor on this island. He straightened up and looked around. "Hello! Is anyone here?" He called out. "I need some help here, please!" There was no reply. Looking down at the girl again, he took her hand and patted it. "Miss, Miss, can you hear me? Miss." There was no response. He looked around once more but saw no one.

With no other choice, the man undid the top to his samue and placed it on the girl. Then came the hard part; he stabbed his canes into the sand on either side of the girl then position himself in front of her and pulled her up onto his back. Now, on all fours with the girl lying on top of him, he leaned back just enough to balance on his knees and quickly tied the samue around himself. It barely reached around him but the important thing was that it did reach. With the girl tied to his back, he grabbed hold of his canes and with every ounce of strength he possessed; he pulled himself up onto his feet. Gasping for air and sweating profusely, he steadied himself then slowly made his way towards the stone walkway.

The girl's weak heartbeat and shallow breathing, along with her failure to wake up, added to the man's concerns. He was certain she was in need of medical attention but just making it off the beach was proving to be a challenge for him; to make it into town would be next to impossible. As he made his way up the steps to the stone walkway, he spotted a small boy running into one of the huts and a few seconds later come running out and with some tools in his hands.

"Jiro-chan!" he called out. The boy turned on a dime but made no effort to head towards him until he called a second time.

"Ueda-sama." The boy bowed. "What do you have there?" Jiro leaned close in an effort to get a better look at the girl on the man's back.

"She washed up on shore."

The boy poked her in the leg. "Is she a mermaid?" He got closer still and took a wif. "She smells like the sea. I bet she's a mermaid!" Jiro bounced excitedly.

The man called Ueda sighed but quickly thought of how to use the boy's excitement to his advantage. "You may be right, Jiro-chan. I think she may be a mermaid, but she is very weak and needs a doctor. Can you go to Himekawa-sensei for me and ask her to come to my place as quickly as possible?"

A flash of enthusiasm sparkled in Jiro's eyes but then he looked down at the tools in his hands. "But momma told me to hurry back to the shop with these. She said if I didn't hurry back, she'll use the hammer on my head." He waved it around to emphasize his point.

"Well, lucky for us, Himekawa-sensei is on the way, so it won't take you very long at all." Ueda forced a smile, "And you'll be saving a mermaid."

"Weeellll…" The boy used the hammer to scratch the top of his head.

"And you can tell your mother that next month's lessons will be free."

The boy's eyes lit up. "Free! Really! Momma can't get mad at me for that!"

"But you need to hurry." Ueda lost his balance and started tipping forward but the boy braced him until he could adjust his canes. When he was sure he had regained his balance, he gave the boy a nod, letting him know it was safe to let him go.

"Right!" With that the boy took off running.

Ueda breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could focus on getting home.

To Be Continued …


	3. Chapter 3: Who am I?

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 3: Who am I?

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All she knew was darkness, as if a board filled with information: knowledge, experiences, and feelings had all been wiped clean leaving no trace of what was there before. Slowly, glimmers of light began to creep in and gradually chased away the darkness. A peaceful soft light, unfettered with noise or images of any kind. The young red haired girl felt only peace, pure perfect tranquility.

_Where am I? _She wondered as she took in her surroundings. Darkness and light was all she could perceive but was she actually seeing it? She was not sure. All she was aware of was total complete peace: no pain, no fear, no worries of any kind. _Am I dead? Is this heaven?_ Suddenly, she felt something cool press against her forehead. For a brief moment if felt refreshing, even inviting, but without warning pain shot all over her body followed by a screaming, blinding bright light. She bolted upright which proved to be a terrible mistake. Her head spun violently and she collapsed back down on the pillow which felt more like an anvil than a pillow. The white hot pain radiated from her head down her spine through her arms and legs, all the way down to the tips of her toes. Everything hurt, even her hair and her nails, or so it seemed to the red-haired girl. She tried to scream but it hurt too much to breath. She felt the urge to throw up but the contracting of her abdominal muscles hurt so much she passed out.

Ueda adjusted the under kimono he had put on her after laying her down on the futon in his room. "Poor thing."

"Sushi-sama!" Are you home?" A woman's voice called out.

"In the bedroom!"

The gentle footfalls of a woman raised to be refined and proper made their way through the house. "Sushi-sama." She bowed at the doorway to the bedroom. "What is this about a mermaid?" Looking up, she saw the young red haired girl asleep on the futon. "Oh!"

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Hitomi-sensei. You did bring your supplies, I hope."

"Y-yes, o-of course." She pulled a silk pouch from the sleeve of her kimono and knelt down beside him. "Who is she?"

The older man shrugged. "I do not know."

"Where did she come from?"

He shook his head. "I don't know that either."

"Sushi-sama, you're not being very helpful." A hint of frustration flickered in her eyes momentarily but was gone in an instant.

"I found her on the beach, unconscious."

"Oh." Seeing the over-sized under kimono on the girl, Hitomi immediately assumed it was one of Sushi Ueda's. "What was she wearing?"

The man rang out the washcloth in the bowl of cool water and carefully placed it across the girl's forehead. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Sushi gave the young woman a look, a look she knew all too well. She bowed low. "I am so very sorry, Sushi-sama. I meant no disrespect."

For his part, the matter for which Hitomi apologized was over. The issue at hand was the well-being of the young girl before them. "Her breathing was very weak when I found her." He held his hand over her face, just above her nose. "It is still quite shallow. She woke up momentarily just a minute ago but passed back out almost instantly. She seemed to be in a great deal of pain."

Hitomi stood up and walked around to the other side of the red haired girl. Kneeling back down, she began her examination. She ran her hands through the girl's hair, massaging her scalp very carefully. "She has suffered many blows to the head." She pulled back the blanket and undid the kimono. Sushi turned his head to keep from looking directly at the girl. "It appears she's been in the water a long time; days most likely."

She ran her hands over the girl's shoulders and chest. "Her ribs are badly bruised and so are her arms."

While it did not bother him to examine the red haired girl alone on the beach, now with Hitomi Himekawa here in his home, he felt strangely uncomfortable. When Hitomi pressed down on the girl's abdomen, causing her to release a sharp cry, Sushi Ueda grabbed his canes and rose faster than he had in years. "I'll go make some tea." He turned to head out the door.

"Sushi-sama, wait." Hitomi pulled out her pouch and rolled it out. She grabbed some herbs and held them out to him. "Please, add these to some green tea. It will help her with the pain."

Sushi took the herbs and retreated to the kitchen to make the tea while Hitomi continued her examination.

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Slowly, the darkness began to fade away but, unlike the last time where the light also brought with it intense intolerable pain, this time there was just a dull sense of soreness and fatigue. With some effort the young teenage girl opened her eyes and gradually things began to come into focus. She was indoors, no doubt, in a place that was dimly lit. She glanced to the side where the source of the light was coming from. _What is that? I know what they are, but for some reason I can't remember what they are called. _She pondered the mystery a bit longer. _Candles, that's right, they are candles. Why didn't I remember that from the start? _She drew in a deep breath and sighed.

"I see you are awake."

The baby fine hairs over her body instantly stood up and a chill shot through her so quickly it made her shiver violently. She sprang to her feet but stumbled backwards into the wall. "W-who are you? W-where am I?" Her voice echoed with a mixture of defiance and fear.

"Calm down. There's no need to be frightened. I won't harm you." The voice was soothing and quite reassuring. If not coming from the man kneeling next to the futon, she may have let her guard down. However, this man's face did not hold the same comfort and reassurance that his voice held. He was an older man, older than she was, of this she was sure. He had a deep angry scar down the side of his face that by candlelight made him look dark and menacing. So despite his reassurance that there was nothing to fear, fear was exactly what she was feeling but she wasn't going to let him know that. Despite feeling weak and sore all over, she stepped forward and assumed a fighting stance.

"You didn't answer my question."

The man bowed respectfully. "My name is Sushi Ueda and this is my home. I am sorry for the light." He gestured towards the candles. "But I do not have electricity."

The girl's eyes darted around the room, shooting back at him every few seconds to make sure he did not make a move towards her. "How did I get here?"

"I carried you here from the beach."

"Beach?"

"Yes, you were unconscious on the beach. I suspect you were washed on shore by the storm."

"Storm?"

"Yes, there was a typhoon. Don't you remember?"

The girl's confused expression as she shook her head pierced through Sushi Ueda's heart. Though he knew nothing about this girl, an overwhelming desire to protect her filled every fiber of his being. "What is your name? Where are you from?"

She just looked at him with eyes filled with uncertainty. _Who am I? I'm… I'm…_ Shock replaced uncertainty as she realized she did not know the answer to that question. "I'm…" she started to say despite not having an answer. "I'm…" She dropped to her knees. Her fists unclenched and she stared at her hands as if looking upon them for the very first time. It suddenly occurred to her how very foreign she felt in her own body. Her arms and legs were so small. She ran her hands around her waist and over her chest. She was so thin, yet well endowed. It all seemed familiar yet at the same time, not. _But how could that be? Who am I? Why can't I remember?_ She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated as hard as she would. For a brief moment, images flashed in her mind; dark images, unfocused and nearly impossible to distinguish. It took her a few moments but eventually she was able to make out-

"Are you all right?" Concern for the girl's well been prompted Sushi to move close and place a worried hand upon her shoulder. She instantly retreated to the wall and pulled her knees in tight to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Confusion and fear clouded her mind. Not fear of this man before her but fear of herself. How was it she not only didn't know who she was, but she also felt so strange in her own body? It didn't make sense.

Sushi regretted his reaction and he returned to his former position. _Remain calm. I need to remain calm so as not to seem threatening to her. Trust will come with time. _"I'm sorry. Were you able to remember anything, anything at all?"

The girl looked down at herself. Sadness replaced fear and she shook her head. "No, nothing." Slowly, she looked up. "Where is here?" she asked.

"This is Akajimo Island, in the Okinawa Prefecture. Akajimo is the southern most island of Okinawa and one of the smallest." The man smiled.

The girl could not help but smile back. The gentle tone of his voice and the ease of his smile filled her with a sense of guilt for having been so suspicious of him when she first woke up. She released the tight grip she had on her legs and allowed them to slight down onto the floor. Leaning forward she fanned herself with her hand. "Is it always this hot here?"

The man's smile grew. "Yes, it's pretty much hot year around."

She smiled nervously back. A moment of uncomfortable silence filled the room. Wanting to find something to talk about other than herself for which she had no answers, she glanced around the room looking for anything that might catch her attention. When her eyes fell upon the futon her body released an exhaustive sigh.

"You must be tired. Why don't you lie back down?"

She looked back up at the man. She wanted to trust him, but more than anything she wanted to lie down and sleep. Still, there was a little voice inside her who said, what do you really know about this man?

Seeing her hesitation, Sushi Ueda grabbed the cup and saucer that had been sitting next to the futon and placed them on the table cart that was next to him. It was strange how she had not noticed it before. Then he grabbed his canes and stood up. "I'll go make you some more tea." After positioning himself behind the cart he hooked his canes onto the sides of it and took hold of its hands, then slowly walked out of the room.

The girl's sense of guilt welled up inside of her. How had she not noticed the canes or how oddly thin his legs were? She kneeled upright. "Please, let me help you."

The man turned his head and smiled. "Nonsense; you're my guest. Besides, you need your rest. You've obviously been through a horrible ordeal. Lie down. I'll be back in a little bit." With that he was out the door and down the hall.

Once alone, the redhead released the breath she did not realized she had been holding. She made her way back to the futon, then lied down, and pulled the blanket up under her chin. She smiled, not really knowing why. Slowly, the smile faded as questions began to fill her mind. _Who am I? Where am I from? What was I doing in the middle of the ocean during a storm?_ She tried to think, tried to remember but nothing clear would come to her. All she could conjure up were dark shadows which she assumed must have been waves crashing down upon her. Suddenly, feeling drained of all energy, she let her eyes slide shut, and a few seconds later she was asleep.

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The red haired girl woke up to the sounds of birds singing and children playing not very far away. Her eyes fluttered open. She took a deep breath and the aroma of hot herbal tea filled her lungs. Looking to her side, she saw a cup on a tray. It was still steamy. She sat up and smiled. _He must have left it here just a little while ago._ She picked up the cup and held it under her nose and took another long whiff. _Smells delicious. _She took a sip. "Blaah!" _Tastes horrible._ She started to set it down but thought better of it. _He did go to the trouble of making it. _She stared down at the offensive green liquid. _And I guess it's supposed to be good for me._ She took a deep breath, then pinched her nose and downed all the tea in a series of long gulps. "Aaugh!" She smacked her lips and rubbed her tongue to the roof of her mouth in a futile effort to rid herself of the foul taste. The taste was so bad; she resorted to licking the sleeve of the kimono. Finally, freed of the awful taste; she decided it was finally time to get up and find the man who had taken her in.

Setting the cup down, she stood up and adjusted the kimono which had loosened while she slept. With the garment secure, she picked up the tray with the cup and cautiously made her way to the door. She peered down one way and saw what appeared to be a small sitting room and sliding doors that were open to the warm morning air. Looking down the other way, she saw two other doorways and the hall split into two opposite directions. She chose this path, slowly making her way down the hall. The first room was the washitsu. The red haired girl assumed this must be where the man took his meals.

Continuing down the hall, she came to the second room which was the kitchen. It was a small room with little counter space, and a wood burning stove. There was a tin basin and a pitcher on the far counter which she guessed was where he washed his dishes. She walked over to the basin. As she suspected, there was water inside it. She stuck her hand inside it and swished it around. "Hmm, soapy." She sat the tray down and washed the cup. Checking the pitcher for water, she pored some into the cup to rinse it out, and then set it down on the towel that was next to the basin so it would dry.

Exiting the kitchen, she continued down the hall. Reaching the end of the hall, she could make out sounds coming from the right. Down this way, the hall was long and lined with sliding doors which were all open to the warm tropical breezes. Down the left was another door at the end of the hall. She went that way first and as she had hoped it was the bathroom. The uncomfortable feeling she had been experiencing since she woke up was an urgent need to use the toilet, so finding it filled her with a sense of satisfaction. She stepped in and closed the door. A few minutes later, she came out of the bathroom with a great feeling of relief.

The sounds from down the hall continued and her curiosity was too great to keep her from finding out what those sounds were. Making her way down the hallway, she came to the open area and was astonished to see a breathtaking garden occupying most of the courtyard. She paused and marveled at the assortment of tropical plants and flowers arranged in perfect harmony surrounding a small pond, and in the midst of the garden was a small cherry blossom tree in the early stages of bloom. The girl's curiosity over the sounds she was hearing subsided for a time and she stepped down into the garden and walked along the small stone path. Had she ever seen anything so beautiful in her life? She did not know since all she could remember of her life consisted of crashing waves and an embarrassing conversation with the owner of the house she was in. However, she was certain that even if she lived to be a hundred, she would most likely not see a more beautiful sight than this.

Sharp screams pulled her attention from the garden, and while she really did want to stay and admire it further, her curiosity won out and she returned to the hallway. Turning the corner, she continued down until she reached a set of large double doors. The sounds were loudest here. The girl pressed her ear against the door and listened. It was the sounds of children, screaming, but not random screams of pain or joy. These were controlled yells, done in unison along with the pounding of feet. The sounds seemed strangely familiar to her. She thought for a moment if she would just close her eyes and listen, the faint whispers of an earlier life would come back to her as loudly as these children's screams.

She lost track of time as she struggled to remember something, anything about her past. She was so focused that she failed to notice that the screaming and pounding on the other side of the door had stopped, and it was her turn to let out a scream when the doors suddenly flew open. Her heart pounded in her chest, threatening to burst out and her face was as red as her hair.

"Look, it's the mermaid!" Jiro shouted.

"That's not a mermaid," yelled a girl.

"Yeah, mermaids had flippers, not feet." Another boy pointed at the redhead's feet.

"Uh-Uh, not always." Jiro insisted. "Just ask Ueda-sama." He turned and ran back into the dojo.

Meanwhile about twenty children, all about six years old came around the redhead.

"Who is she?"

"How should I know?"

"Do you think she's Ueda-sama's wife?"

"Her hair is so red."

"Don't be stupid, Ueda-sama doesn't have a wife?"

"I think she's pretty."

"Sure he does. Himekawa-sensei is Ueda-sama's wife."

"Maybe she is a mermaid."

"No she's not; they're just friends."

"What's her name?"

"Don't ask me. Ask her."

"There's no such thing as mermaids."

"You ask her."

"You're the one who wants to know. You ask her."

The red haired girl's embarrassment turned to nervous tension as the children pressed in around her.

"Excuse me Miss, what's your name?"

She didn't know what to say and just gaped at the boy who asked.

"How old are you?"

"Aah…" Her heart was racing faster than before.

"I bet you're at least twelve."

"Aah…"

"No stupid, she has to be at least thirty."

"Aaah…"

"Why?"

"Because she has big boobies, just like my mom."

"Aaaah…" The girl pulled the kimono tight around her chest.

"Uh-uh, my sister has big boobies and she's only fifteen."

Now the girl's face was even redder than her hair.

"All right children. That's enough. Leave the young lady alone. You're embarrassing her." Sushi Ueda came through the door with Jino beside him with a mild look of disappointment on his face.

The children turned their attention to their karate master.

"Ueda-sama, who is she?"

"What's her name?"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Is she your wife?"

"Is she a mermaid like Jino said?"

"That will do children. Your mothers will be wondering why you are all late at getting home. Now run along."

In disappointed unison, they said, "Yesss Ueda-sama." They all turned and headed down the hall to the courtyard.

The redhead sighed in relief. She offered the martial arts master a grateful smile. "Thank-"

Suddenly, she heard a few of the children.

"She's really pretty."

"Yeah, and her boobies are even bigger than my sister's."

"Yeah, even bigger than my mom's."

The girl's face turned even redder than before.

Sushi Ueda shook his head and smiled. "I'm sorry about that. I should have told them I had a guest and to be on their best behavior."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and turned away. She was too embarrassed to look the man in the face. Looking up slightly, she saw the dojo where the children had been training and stepped into it. "So, you're a martial artist?"

"Well, just a teacher now." He stepped over next to her. She glanced down and saw the canes he used to help support himself.

"Oh, yes." She tightened her arms around her chest. "But still…"

Sushi Ueda smiled. "I teach the small children karate and the elderly tai chi. The older children travel to the neighboring island for lessons. After about eight, they need more hands on training than I can provide." He adjusted his grip on his canes.

"Oh … sorry." The girl's cheeks started turning slightly red again.

"Don't be. It's fine. I enjoy teaching the little ones. They're so anxious to learn and surprisingly well behaved." He glanced down the hall. "Well, normally at least."

The girl laughed despite herself.

He smiled down at her. He felt a certain sense of relief hearing her laugh. "Well, you must be hungry." He stepped out of the dojo and waited for her to follow, which she did. He carefully lifted his hand to pull the doors closed.

"Oh, let me." The girl reached out in front of him and pulled them shut.

"Thank you." He offered a respective bow.

"Thank you." The girl bowed low. "Uuh?"

"Sushi Ueda."

She remembered now. He had told her the night she first woke up, but she had quickly forgotten. "Ueda-sama." She bowed again.

"Please, call me Sushi."

"Oh, ah." She bowed again. "Sushi-sama."

He smiled. "Well, come along. You can help me with the rice." He started down the hallway.

"Okay." She fell in step with him.

"Well, you didn't remember anything about yourself the other night, has anything come to you yet?

The girl looked down at her feet, too ashamed to look over that the man. "No, nothing yet."

"Well," he pondered his next remark. "I need to be able to call you something. I could just call you Imouto-chan, but seeing that I've never had a sibling before, I'm sure I'll quickly forget." He glanced over into the garden. "Is there anything you'd like to be called?"

The girl continued to stare down at the floor. "Not really."

"Hmm, well I suppose there is no rush." He continued to gaze upon the garden. "You know, when I'm not teaching, I spend most of my time working on my garden." He stopped and turned towards it. "I planted everything here myself, even the cherry tree."

The girl had stopped and was standing next to him admiring the garden. "It's really beautiful." She stared at the tree. "Is it normal for a tree like that to grow in this hot a climate?"

"No, it's not. It's meant for a much drier climate. I've had to work very hard to get it to grow here and keep it healthy. It really is my pride and joy." He smiled. "Where I grew up, the ground would be covered in a blanket of sakura blossoms all spring long."

"It's really pretty. I can only imagine how beautiful it gets when it is in full bloom."

A thought occurred to Sushi and he looked down at the red haired girl. Feeling his gaze upon her, she looked timidly up at the taller man. "What?"

"Well, it's just a thought, but what do you think of the name, Sakura?" He offered a warm smile.

"Sakura?" Her eyes widened a bit. _A cherry blossom, at the start of a new life; kind of like me._

"It's silly, I know." He looked back to the garden.

"No!" She grabbed the hem of his sleeve. "I like it. Well, at least until I can remember my real name." She giggled. "Who knows, maybe Sakura is my real name."

They shared a light chuckle. "Well, care to help me with breakfast, Sakura-chan?"

"I would be happy to, Sushi-sama." They laughed and headed to the kitchen.

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In the kitchen, Master Sushi began searching the cabinets for things to prepare for breakfast. The rice container held less than half a cup of rice, there wasn't more than a few teaspoons of miso left and a small leak which occurred during the storm found its way to the salted fish, so it had to be thrown out.

"Mmm, I guess we'll need to head over to the market for some groceries before we can eat." Master Sushi rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me just grab my wallet." He made his way down the hall and to the bedroom. Kneeling in front of a small chest, he opened it and dug under a few articles of clothing before finding his wallet. He slipped it into his pocket, closed the chest, and stood up.

"This is your bedroom." He turned to see Sakura standing in the doorway.

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Yes."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from your own bed." She bowed.

He shook his head. "Not to worry. You needed it more than I did." He walked to the doorway. "Besides, it has been so lovely these past few nights since the storm, so clear the sky was filled with stars. I laid out in the garden and slept under the stars. Best nights sleep I've had in months." He smiled.

Sakura couldn't help but feel guilty. Here was a man who found her, a complete stranger, washed up on shore; he took her in, gave her his bed, cared for her; and when she woke and saw him her first reaction was to retreat than fight. Why did she do that? Now in the light of day, that behavior seems so foreign to her, and looking at this man. Why did he seem so scary, so sinister to her that night? Now, while not a handsome man, he had the look of a kind man, a gentle man.

"Shall we go?"

Sakura quivered slightly, roused from her muse.

"Are you all right?"

"Y-yes, fine. Yes, let's go." She nodded.

Just then a soft voice carried from the entryway. "Hello? Sushi-sama, are you there?"

"Ah, Hitomi-sensei! Over here!"

Sakura looked down the hall and saw a young woman dressed in a yukata and carrying a ceramic pot and a large grocery bag slung over her arm, come from around the corner. She was taller than Sakura but still shorter than Master Sushi. She was rather plain looking, not unattractive but far from what anyone would call beautiful, but like Master Sushi, there was a kindness to her face.

"Oh, let me help you with that." Master Sushi started down the hall.

"Ah…" Sakura hurried past him. "Let me, please." She reached the woman first and put out her hands to help. "Let me take that for you."

"Oh," Hitomi hesitated. "Are you sure? It is a little heavy. Are you sure you are up to it?"

Sakura gave the woman a confused look. Coming up next to her, Master Sushi explained, "Sakura-chan, this is Hitomi-sensei. She is our town's acupuncturist and herbalist. She has been attending to you this past week."

"Oh!" Sakura bowed. "Thank you, ma'am."

Still holding the pot, Hitomi simply bowed her head. "You are very welcome, Sakura-chan is it?"

The younger woman gaped.

"Well, for now. She seems to be suffering from amnesia. She doesn't remember who she is or where she's from. However, she needed a name, and Sakura seemed to suit her." He turned to Sakura. "Isn't that right?"

The girl's look of confusion turned into a smile and she nodded, "Mmmm"

"Well, Sakura-chan." Hitomi held out the pot for Sakura to take, which she did. "I made rice porridge for you and Sushi-sama." She sled the bag down to her hand and held it open, revealing the assortment of groceries inside. "And I brought these as well."

"Hitomi-sensei, you shouldn't have." Master Sushi shook his head.

"If left to yourself, you'd go a week without eating, but you have a house guest now, so you need to keep your kitchen well stocked."

"Well, it just so happens Sakura-chan and I were just about to head down to the market."

"Then I saved you the trouble, this time. Not to worry, I won't make a habit of this." Hitomi assured him.

"Very well, but you will allow me to repay you for this, of course?"

"Of course." Hitomi gave him a smile he had seen many times before. A smile that told him that while she was saying, _of course_, in reality what she was saying was, _not a chance._

Master Sushi sighed in defeat. "Mmm" Master Sushi gestured down the hall. "Well, shall we, ladies."

The two women smiled and made their way to the kitchen with Sakura leading the way.

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To Be Continued...

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Please leave a review to let me know how you liked it.


	4. Chapter 4: The Search Begins

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 4: The Search Begins

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"Aaah! That was delicious. I had no idea I was so hungry." Sakura allowed herself to fall back onto the tatami floor and happily rubbed her satisfied tummy.

Hitomi and Master Sushi both laughed.

Sakura's face turned beet red and she sat back up instantly. "Sorry."

Master Sushi just waved it off. "No need for formality. As long as you are a guest here, consider this your home."

Sheepishly the redhead asked, "So how long can I stay here?"

The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How long indeed?" He looked over at his friend. "What do you think, Hitomi-sensei?"

Hitomi, sitting perfectly straight with her hands resting on her lap, appeared sweet and gentle but there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, I suppose since you found her you have an obligation to look after her, at least until she knows who she is."

Sakura's redness began to fade and a slight hint of a smile started to creep in.

"But don't you think it may seem a bit inappropriate, having a young lady living here with me? Perhaps, she would be better off staying with you?"

The redness in Sakura's face returned. She hadn't thought about what people might think of her, living alone with a man.

"It is a good thing you are so well respected and above reproach, Sushi-sama. If it were any other man than you, it could be a problem." Hitomi countered.

Again, the redness began to fade and a sense of relief filled Sakura.

Master Sushi bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your kind words, however, Sakura-chan is still recovering. Would it not be best if she were with you so you could keep an eye on her in case she experiences a downturn?"

_Wait, what is going on here?_ Sakura started feeling very uncomfortable.

"You've always had a keen eye for such things, Sushi-sama. I'm sure if Sakura-chan isn't feeling well; you will notice and send one of your students to get me. I don't live that far away." Hitomi reassured him.

Master Sushi nodded and rubbed his chin pensively again. "True, but I'm sure Sakura-chan would find it much more comfortable living with another woman. In addition, you have electricity, indoor plumbing, and hot water. Things I don't have."

Sakura frowned.

"Yes, however, you are familiar with my grandmother's condition." Hitomi started.

"Look," Sakura stood up and addressed them both with tears in her eyes. "I see where this is going. You don't want me around. Well, fine. I can make it on my own." She started towards the door. Hesitating for just a moment, Sakura turned and bowed. "Thank you for your _kindness_. I'll be going now."

"No, Sakura-chan, wait!" Master Sushi called out but the girl was already out of the room and running towards the exit. He struggled to stand but only succeeded in falling over. Meanwhile, Hitomi had sprung up and was chasing after Sakura down the hall.

"Sakura-chan, wait." She called out. "Please, wait."

Sakura reached the doorway and stopped. There was a short paved walkway to the gate which led to the outside world. A spark of fear shot through the young teen when she realized she knew nothing of what was out there. For the past few hours, her whole world was Sushi-sama's home. That's all she knew and even that was all new and filled with wonder. What was the outside world going to be like? She took a deep breath and started to step down onto the walkway, when she was pulled back into Hitomi-sensei's embrace.

"Sakura-chan, don't." She held the girl tight. "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. This is just a little game, Sushi-sama and I play all the time. We didn't mean to upset you. Of course you can stay here. Sushi-sama wouldn't have it any other way."

The red haired girl relaxed and turned around slowly to face her captor. Looking up into the older woman's face, she saw a serious and sincere look that had replaced the mischievous one she had earlier. The girl wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "Pretty stupid of me to get all upset like that, huh?" She tried to laugh but it came out more like a whimper.

Hitomi hugged her and apologized again. "We should have known better than to play our silly games in front of you like that. Sushi-sama and I have been friends for years and have always toyed with each other in this way. I suppose it has simply become such a habit that we do it automatically without thinking about it. Please don't take anything we said seriously."

"Sakura-chan!" Master Sushi came staggering down the hall, banging into the wall as he tried to hurry towards the entrance. He lost his balance and began to fall forward. Sakura vanished from Hitomi's arms and was in front of Master Sushi in an instant holding him up. "Sakura-chan," he wheezed out of breath. "I'm sorry. Don't go. I didn't mean what I said."

Sakura smiled. "I know. Hitomi-sensei explained it to me." She stepped aside to face them both. "I'm sorry for overreacting. I'll try to be more levelheaded in the future." She laughed while scratching the back of her head.

"Well, now that that's settled; let's sit back down and seriously discuss what we can do to help you remember who you are." He gave Sakura a wink and nodded to Hitomi before returning to the washitsu. Hitomi and Sakura followed, walking side by side.

Hitomi whispered to the younger woman. "I really am sorry for upsetting you so. It was not my intention, I assure you. Though I wasn't entirely kidding about my grandmother. She suffers from a chronic illness and can be rather unpleasant to be around when she is not feeling well."

"I-It's okay. I don't mind staying here at Sushi-sama's as long as he is willing to have me." Sakura smiled but after realizing what she said might be misinterpreted, she blushed and looked away.

Hitomi gave a silent giggle. "That's all right, I know what you meant. Perhaps tomorrow you can come by my home and take a hot bath. I'm sure it will be more enjoyable than the cold baths you've had to endure here."

"Well, you see, I haven't taken a bath yet." Sakura tried to hide the redness in her cheeks behind her sleeves which she pulled up over her hands and held up to her face.

"What do you mean you haven't taken a bath yet?"

Sakura gaped.

"Sushi-sama, how could you?"

The man cringed.

"Please," the girl took hold of the young woman's sleeve. "It's not Sushi-sama's fault. I only woke up a little while before you came, and Sushi-sama was conducting his class and…" Sakura saw the woman's look of exasperation melt away replaced by a gentle smile, and for a brief moment there seemed to be something familiar about her. The way her bangs covered her forehead and the shortness of her hair made it look so full, her big brown eyes, her small upturned nose and her sweet smile all seemed to stir something inside her.

"Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?" Hitomi touched her cheek and she was roused from her thoughts. "Are you all right?"

The hand was soft and tender, like resting on a fluffy pillow. It wasn't the act of touching her that roused her but rather the unfamiliarity of the touch.

"Sakura-chan, what is it? Do you remember something?" asked Master Sushi.

"I-I don't know. Maybe… no… I don't know." She shook her head and became instantly lightheaded. Hitomi caught her before she fell and with some help from Master Sushi, carried her to his bed.

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Genma Saotome searched three days non-stop, up and down the coast, trying to find Ranma. Whenever he caught word of someone washing up on shore, he rushed to that scene. Unfortunately, he did not learn his lesson from his first mishap, and made the same sort of mistake again and again. He even persuaded a fisherman to allow him passage on his boat so he could search off shore for his son. However, despite his best efforts, he found no sign of his boy. Finally, dejected and defeated, Genma decided his best course of action was to return home and get as much help as possible to continue the search.

The train ride home was long and solitary. Memories of his many training journeys with his son kept playing through his head. Trips to the mountains, to the sea, to the north in winter, to the south in summer, to China; he sighed and took off his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes. "Fear not Ranma, your father has not given up on you. I know if anyone can survive a typhoon it is you."

Walking up to the Tendo household Genma paused a moment. Clearing his throat, Genma practiced how he was going to explain his son's absence to Ranma's mother. "It's a funny thing, Nodoka, you see we were only about 500 meters off shore when the storm struck. I did everything I could to make sure Ranma and I stayed together, truly I did, but the storm was fierce and we were separated. Only by my superior martial arts skill was I able to survive and find my way to shore. I've searched and searched, but I'm not giving up hope. I just need to gather some supplies and with Tendo-kun's help and perhaps some of Ranma's friends-"

"Husband? What are you doing talking to yourself out here?"

Genma nearly jumped out of his skin. Sweat began pouring down his face as he stood face to face with his wife, Nodoka. She was in her customary kimono and held grocery bags in each hand. She looked at him with her ever placid expression but Genma knew that once she found out what had happened, placid would be the last word used to describe her.

"Aaaah" Genma tried to speak but fear caused him to loose the power of speech.

"What is that you are wearing, and where are your things?" she asked.

"W-we-ell, y-y-you ssssssseeee," his voice quivered and cracked.

"Where is Ranma?" Before he could think of a lie, she went on. "Is he already inside? He is, isn't he?" She handed the groceries over to her husband and rushed into the house. "Ranma!" She ran down the hall. "Ranma! Where are you?" She rushed into the washitsu. "Ranma?"

Soun Tendo was sitting quietly reading the newspaper. He looked up when Nodoka entered the room. "What is it, Nodoka-san?"

"Ranma's back." She rushed off down the hall. "Ranma!"

"Ranma's back?" Soun stood up and followed after Nodoka.

"Ranma!" Nodoka hurried into the TV room were Nabiki was watching the financial report.

She looked up, mildly surprised. "What's going on?" But Nodoka had already moved off down the hall.

Soun stopped long enough to say, "Ranma is back."

Nabiki spring up and followed them as well.

Nodoka stopped in the kitchen and the bath but Ranma was not in either. Nabiki stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up, then headed up to Akane's room.

Akane, who had taken to spending most of her time sitting alone in her room since Ranma had left, was staring at a book that was supposed to be read before the start of the new semester. She had tried reading it many times but never seemed to be able to muster the enthusiasm to get started. She held the book open to the first page of the story and tried to read the opening sentence again, "The storm was unlike anything he had ever seen; unlike anything any sailor had ever seen…." She closed the book and stuffed it under her pillow, and laid on her bed. "He's okay. He must be okay. Sure it was a big storm but this is Ranma, right? Even a typhoon can't stop him, can it?" She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Can it?"

Suddenly, her door swung open, "I've got big news." Nabiki said with a smile.

"Nabiki," Akane sighed. "I'm not up for any of your games." She rolled face down on her bed.

"Okay, but you're going to want to know about this, and it will only cost you…" Nabiki tapped her chin, "1000 yen."

"Forget it." Akane muttered from her pillow.

"Okay, for you, since you are my sister, only 500 yen."

"I said no," Akane mumbled.

"You drive a hard bargain sis, but fine, 100 yen, that's my final offer." Nabiki folded her arms under chest and gave a rye smile.

Akane moaned and sat up. "Fine-" but before she could finish, she heard Nodoka shout, "Ranma!"

Akane's eyes lit up and she sprang to her feet. She scooped up some change from her desk and tossed it at Nabiki as she ran by her at the doorway.

Nabiki nimbly caught each one in mid-air. "Hmm, 600 yen. Not bad." She smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Akane shouted while running down the stairs.

Nabiki shrugged. "Because you wouldn't play along." She turned and went to her room.

Akane followed the shouts, which led her to the dojo, but the only ones there were Ranma's mom and her dad. "Where's Ranma?" she asked.

Nodoka and Soun looked at each other, and then Soun asked, "Who told you Ranma was back home, Nodoka-san?"

"Genma."

"Saotome-kun? You saw him?" Akane's father asked.

"Yes." She looked out into the courtyard and spotted him hiding behind a tree. "He's right there."

Akane and Soun both turned in time to see Genma Saotome's failed attempt to make himself unseen behind a thick tree trunk.

"Saotome-kun, what are you doing? Where is Ranma?" his old friend shouted, but he did not move out from behind the tree.

Finally, Akane pleaded. "Please, Saotome-ojisama, where is Ranma?"

Genma hung his head and sighed. "All right." He stepped out from behind the tree. "You are bound to find out sooner or later." He straightened up and placed a serious look upon his face. Before anyone could react, he ran and jumped into the pond turning himself into a giant panda. However, there was no escaping the three. Akane and Soun rushed out and grabbed hold of him and dragged him into the dojo. A few minutes later, Nodoka returned with a kettle of hot water and poured it over the struggling panda, and then she grabbed him by the throat and drew him close. "Where is Ranma? Where is my son?" she demanded.

With sweat pouring down his face, he squeaked out, "I don't know."

Nodoka tightened her grip and shook him. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Genma tried to respond but all that came out of him was a muffled gargled sound.

"Nodoka-san," Soun placed his hands over her arms. "Please, you're choking him. Give him a chance to speak."

Nodoka released her husband and stood up. Glaring down at him, she asked, "Where is my son, Genma? Where is Ranma?"

Genma rubbed his throat and drew in a few deep breaths, then he looked up at her and said, "Ranma is-" he spun around and tried to run for the courtyard but Akane stepped in his way and kicked him in the face, sending him rolling back to his wife. He found himself starting up at her. She had murder in her eyes and he knew it.

"Where is my sword?" She stormed out of the dojo. "Where did you hide it Soun-san?"

Soun grabbed Genma by the ear and pulled him close. "You better start talking fast or you're a dead man, Saotome-kun. Where is Ranma-kun?"

Genma glanced at his friend then looked away. "I'm a dead man anyway."

"Please, Saotome-ojisama." Akane knelt down next to him and folded her hands together. "Where is Ranma?"

Genma looked up into the girl's big brown eyes and all the fight seeped out of him in an instant. He sighed. "Ranma and I got separated at sea during the typhoon." He hung his head. "I've searched all up and down the coast but I've found no sign of him."

The three fell silent and they each considered the magnitude of Genma Saotome's revelation. Suddenly, the hairs down Genma's back stood on end and he broke in a cold sweat when he heard a sword drown from its sheath. He turned just in time to get cracked over the head by the sheath.

"You lost my son at sea and you have nerve enough to come home without finding him?" Nodoka cracked her husband over the head a second time. "How dare you!"

Nodoka Saotome preceded to beat her husband into unconsciousness, and then beat him for another 10 minutes for good measure. She only stopped when the sheath shattered over Genma's back. Exhausted and out of breath, she collapsed to the floor and wept. "Ranma! Ranma, my son! Where are you?"

Soun and Akane Tendo watch in shock as Ranma's mother beat her husband into unconsciousness. Part of them wanted to stop her but another part wanted to help her. In the end they simply stood and watched. When she finally fell to the floor in tears, Akane reacted first, kneeling down next to her and wrapping her arms around her. "Don't worry, Saotome-obasama. I'm sure Ranma is all right. This is Ranma after all. He's survived monsters, earthquakes, and tornadoes. I'm sure even a typhoon is no match for him." She offered the woman a warm smile.

"Oh Akane, do you really think so?" Nodoka wiped her eyes.

"I'm certain of it, Saotome-obasama." Akane nodded.

Nodoka straightened up and took a deep breath. "You're right. Ranma would never go down without a fight." She stood up and dusted herself off, and then she walked over to her unconscious husband, grabbed him by the ear, and slapped him awake.

"Listen and listen well. I will give you a day to rest, meanwhile I will prepare adequate provisions for you than you are going out and finding our son. Don't bother coming back if you don't find him." She shoved him roughly back to the floor, and then as if taking on a completely different persona, she gracefully exited the dojo.

Soun knelt down next to his friend. "Worry not, Saotome-kun. I will join you in your search."

Genma nodded then passed out.

Akane watched Ranma's mother leave the dojo. She meant every word she said to the Ranma's mother. She truly believed that Ranma had survived the storm and that it was just a matter of time before he was found or he returned home on his own. She could only imagine that Ranma's mother allowed herself a moment of weakness which caused her to doubt this and for that moment Nodoka fell into utter despair. She was forced to live without her son for nearly 16 years but knowing he was still out there, training, gave her hope and the courage to go on. Did she find that hope again with Akane's help, or was she just putting up a strong front for Akane's sake and her own?

Could Akane do the same for her? What if, even for a moment, Akane allowed herself to believe the worst had happened to Ranma? Suddenly, her heart began to race and she remembered how she refused to say goodbye to him as Ranma prepared to leave on his journey. Why was she so stubborn? Why did she let Ranma's childish behavior get the better of her? She knew how he really felt. Didn't she? She heard him say as much in Jusendo Peak. He'd said so many stupid things before and it never stopped her from wishing him a good journey, even when Ranma and the others left for China and Ho'o Peak. Sure she almost lost her chance to say goodbye but thanks to Ranma's stupidity, she got one more opportunity; and sure it was an awkward farewell but at least she got to wish him well. Had Ranma said anything any more stupid or hurtful than he had in the past? If Akane was being honest with herself; she had to answer, no. So why had she resisted this time?

It would not end this way. No, she would not allow it. Akane ran after Nodoka Saotome and offered her help in preparing the provisions for Genma's journey. Nodoka gladly accepted and the first place the two women went was the market in town. Word of Genma's return home without Ranma spread quickly. Before they knew it, Akane and Nodoka were surrounded by several familiar faces.

"Is it true, Akane Tendo?" Mousse asked first. "Is Saotome really missing?"

"Say it's not true Akane-chan," Ukyo pleaded. "Ran-chan wasn't really lost at sea, was he?"

"No can be. Ranma too strong, even for storm." Shampoo tried to scowl but faltered. "Is not true… is it?"

"Ranma-sama can't be lost." A tearful Kodachi insisted. "I would be lost without my Ranma-sama." She wept in a manner that made it sound more like she was laughing than crying.

"Oh my." Nodoka looked about. "These are all Ranma's friends. How sweet." Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Suddenly, Akane cringed, as she felt her skin crawl at the sensation of a warm and unwelcome embrace. "Akane-kun, how your heart must quiver at the loss of your fiancé? Allow me to comfort you during your hour of need." Tatewaki Kuno held Akane close, to Nodoka's surprise and to Akane's revulsion.

"You are the last person I need comfort from!" Akane sent Tatewaki flying.

"Goodness, is he a friend of yours too?" asked Nodoka.

"Not hardly." Akane recoiled at the thought and brushed away the imaginary residue of Tatewaki's embrace.

Having grown impatient with all of the silliness that had transpired, Ukyo stepped forward. "So Akane-chan, what's the plan?"

Akane returned Ukyo's serious stare with a confused look. "Plan?"

Mousse stepped forward. "For finding Saotome."

Before Akane could answer, she felt the bags in her hands being pulled away. She looked over to see Nodoka Saotome taking the bags from her. "You should go with your friends and work on a plan together. My husband can use all the help he can get." Then she turned to the small gathering and bowed. "Thank you all for caring about my son." She turned back to Akane. "I'll see you home later, Akane-chan." She smiled warmly and headed home.

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The group gathered at Ukyo's place and discussed the plan for finding Ranma, together, except when Ukyo needed to make an okonomiyaki for the steady flow of customers to her place.

"Ukyo, it wouldn't hurt you to close for a little while until we finish." Akane's frustration with the constant interruptions was evident in her tone.

"What, and miss the busiest time of the day for me? Of course it would hurt."

Everyone stared unsympathetically at her.

After serving up the last okonomiyaki, she sighed. "Fine, fine. Konatsu, put the closed sign up, will you?"

The gender-confused, former ninja set his broom aside. "Yes, Ukyo-sama." He bowed and hung the sign outside the door, then he grabbed the nearest customer by the arm and started pulling him out the shop. "We're closed now."

"No!" Ukyo rushed around the counter and over to the customer. "I didn't say to force the customers out. Just hang the sign."

Konatsu blushed and bowed low. "I'm so very sorry, Ukyo-sama."

Ukyo sighed. "Just get back to sweeping the floor."

Konatsu bowed low again. "Yes, Ukyo-sama."

"Can we continue, Ukyo?" Akane asked.

"Sorry." Ukyo joined them at the table. "So, we have a plan then?"

"Yes," answered Mousse. "Saotome had nearly reached Fukuoka. So that's where Shampoo and I will begin searching and work our way north to the far end of Yamaguchi Prefecture. Ukyo Kuonji, you and Konatsu will cover Shimane Prefecture, and Akane Tendo, you and Kodachi Kuno will cover Tottori, Hyogo, and Kyoto Prefectures, and Saotome-sama and Tendo-sama will cover Fukui and Ishikawa Prefectures. Agreed?"

Everyone seemed to think this was a good plan, except Akane who shook her head and frowned.

"What wrong, Akane?" Shampoo asked. "You think plan no good?"

Akane didn't want to sound negative, so she chose her words carefully. "For just about anyone, this plan would probably work, but this is Ranma we're talking about. Even against a typhoon, he would never give up." She sighed, "I just think we might not be covering all the possibilities."

"Akane-chan's right." Ukyo stood up. "Whether fighting the storm or riding it out Ran-chan wouldn't give in to it; not for a second."

"So what do you suggest?" asked Mousse.

"We should expand the search." Akane answered.

Mousse stared down at the map of Japan that covered the table and rubbed his chin. "Well… I suppose, we can start at the southern tip of Nagasaki. We'll have to cover the surrounding islands too."

Ukyo nodded her approval. "There are a lot of islands there. You'll have a lot of ground to cover. Konatsu and I will cover Yamaguchi all the way up to Tottori."

Akane then stood up and looked over at Kodachi. "And we'll cover from Hyogo up to Ishikawa. Saotome-ojisama and Otousan can cover Toyama and Niigata including Sado Island."

"We find Ranma for certain now." Shampoo stood and extended her hand over the middle of the table. Everyone knew what she meant and they all joined in, in laying hands one atop the other. At that moment a bond formed between rivals and enemies. A bond of commitment and determination, each with just one goal in mind: find Ranma.

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A gentle knock on her bedroom door roused Akane from her thoughts. "Come in," she said, without interrupting her packing.

The door opened and Nodoka Saotome and Nabiki Tendo walked in.

"I'm almost done packing. Is Otousan and Saotome-ojisama ready?" asked Akane.

"Almost," answered Nodoka.

"Akane," Nabiki took a seat on the bed, "we need to talk."

This time, she stopped and turned to face her guests. "What is it?"

"Akane-chan, my dear, I'm so grateful that you and your friends are helping search for Ranma. He is my only son and I can't imagine life without him." She paused. "However, …"

"However?" Akane gave the woman a questioning look.

"You may not find him. And even if you do, he may not-" Nabiki didn't get a chance to finish her sentence.

"May not what, Nabiki? May not be alive?" The fine hairs down the back of Akane's neck stood on end. "Ranma is alive! I know it!"

"How do you know? Did he call you? Did you get a letter from him postmarked less then 7 days ago?"

"No, of course not." Akane turned and started packing again.

"Then how? How do you know?" Nabiki insisted.

"What do you want me to say? Yes, Ranma is dead. I don't believe that, not for a second." Akane wiped the tears that had run under her nose. "I won't believe it."

Nodoka stepped forward and placed her hands upon Akane's shoulders, gently turning the girl in order to force her to meet her eyes. "We did not mean to upset you, Akane-chan. We simply want to prepare you for the worst."

"Saotome-obasama, Ranma is alive. If he wasn't, I … I …"

"You what, Akane?" Sarcasm oozed from Nabiki's lips. "You would feel it."

Akane glared at her sister. "Yes, that's right, I **would** feel it. I know it sounds foolish, but I'm certain I would know if Ranma was died. We share a connection, he and I."

"Yeah, your fist to his face." Nabiki laughed.

"Nabiki-chan, please. You're not helping." Nodoka returned her attention to the younger Tendo daughter. "Akane-chan, I pray you are correct. I pray you find Ranma alive and well. However, if you do not-"

"Saotome-obasama, I-"

"If you do not, well … just remember you have family and friends who love you and will help you through this." Nodoka caressed Akane's cheek.

Akane stared deeply into the woman's eyes before saying, "I'll find him, Saotome-obasama, and I will bring Ranma home. I promise." Then she picked up her backpack and walked out the door.

Nabiki looked up at Ranma's mother. "No offense, Saotome-obasama, but you know the odds of finding Ranma are-"

"I know, Nabiki-chan, I know." Nodoka hung her head. She waited until he heard the distant sound of the front gate closing before saying, "We should get dinner started." She turned and left the room.

Nabiki shook her head and sighed, "Akane, you naive girl", then got up and headed for the kitchen as well.

To Be Continued …

Author's Comments: Every author writes because we love to write, but we also love to hear from our readers. Please take a moment to let me know what you think: good, bad, or indifferent. It lets me know people aren't just clicking on my story for just a seconds, but are actually reading it. Thank you!


	5. Chapter 5: Sakura's Dark Secret

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too. Sorry for the errors in my use of honorifics in the last chapter. I hope to re-post chapter 4 very soon with the correct honorifics. While Kim is a wonderful beta-reader, she is not knowledgeable in the use of honorifics and apparently, neither am I. I'll try to do a better job in future chapters. To everyone who reviewed my last chapter, thank you all so very much.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 5: Sakura's Dark Secret

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"I'm sorry you've had to put up with cold baths for over a week, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled and shock her head. "No need to apologize, Hitomi-sensei. I understand, your grandmother is in a delicate condition and it's hard to have anyone over."

Hitomi smiled appreciatively. "Still, it must be difficult not having warm water to bathe in."

Sakura shrugged. "I've gotten use to it. It's really not that bad. Sushi-sama is kind enough to heat a pot or two of water. It helps take the edge off the cold."

"Well, today you'll get to enjoy a nice hot bath, and unless my grandmother suffers a relapse, you're welcome to come over each day, if you like." Hitomi turned the corner up her street.

"Thank you so much, Hitomi-sensei. I have to say, I am really looking forward to having a hot bath. I can't remember ever having one, but I can only imagine how wonderful it must feel." Sakura nearly giggled she was so giddy with excitement.

Hitomi smiled. "A hot bath truly is one of life's sinful pleasures."

Walking into the house, Hitomi led Sakura to a nearby bedroom. She peered in before entering. "Grandmother, are you awake?" she whispered.

The frail old woman looked up from her book and removed her glasses. "Hitomi? Is that you, my dear?"

"Yes, Grandmother." She walked over to the side of the bed and sat down on it. Taking the old woman's hand, she asked. "How are you feeling, Grandmother?"

"Child, I'm a hundred and three years old. I can't remember the last time something didn't hurt."

Hitomi looked down and gently caressed her grandmother's hand.

"But thank you for asking." The old woman gave Hitomi's hand a squeeze. "Now let me get back to my novel. Priestess Kikyo is about to do battle with the great Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sure it is going to be epic." The woman grinned gleefully.

Hitomi smiled back. "Before you start reading again, Grandmother, there is someone I'd like you to meet." She looked over to the door and gestured for the girl to come in. "This is a friend of mine, Sakura." She turned to the girl. "Sakura, this is my grandmother, the Lady Himekawa."

Sakura did not know why, but she suddenly felt as if she were in the presence of royalty. Her palms began to sweat and her heart started to beat a little faster. She bowed low. "It is an honor to meet you, Lady Himekawa-sama."

"Oh, no need for formality. Come here child. Let me get a good look at you." Sakura hesitated for a moment but when Hitomi stood up to make room for her next to her grandmother, Sakura stepped forward. "Come, sit here." The old woman patted on the mattress and sat up a little higher on the bed. Sakura obliged.

Lady Himekawa ran her hand across Sakura's forehead and down her cheek. "What lovely skin and such beautiful eyes." She ran her hand over Sakura's hair. "Is this your natural color?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Are you half then? Perhaps part Irish?"

"I-I don't know." Sakura looked over at Hitomi for support.

Hitomi stepped forward. "She doesn't know, Grandmother. Sakura was washed ashore during the last storm. She is suffering from amnesia. She doesn't know her real name."

"Amnesia? Is that right?"

"Mmm, Sushi-sama gave me my name." Sakura grinned.

"Really? Hard to believe that man could think of a name as pretty as that?"

"Grandmother."

"I know, I know, you and he are friends. I understand. I just wish you would find a wealthy, handsome man, that's all." The old woman gave a sly grin.

"Grandmother, it's not like that."

"Of course, of course. It never is." The woman turned her attention back to the red haired girl. Once again, she ran her hand over Sakura's cheek. "Water runs deep within you. Yes, water is very strong; but not water alone." She paused and ran her hand over the girl's hair. "Very unusual. All five elements are strong in you but especially water." She smiled wide. "You are truly blessed, my child. And you are welcomed in my home any time."

"Thank you Lady Himekawa-sama." Sakura stood and bowed.

"So, will you be our house guest for a time?"

"No, Grandmother. Sakura-chan is staying at Sushi-sama's for the time being. She is here to take a bath, a hot bath." Hitomi smiled down at the younger woman.

Sakura smiled back.

"What? Doesn't Ueda-bozu have a bath in his house, or does he only bath when it rains?"

Sakura flinched.

"Grandmother. Don't be rude. Of course, Sushi-sama has a bath, but his home is quite old and it is difficult to heat the water there." Hitomi explained.

"Hmm." Lady Himekawa gave her granddaughter a suspicious stare. "Well, if that is the case," she reached out and took Sakura's hand. "You are welcome to come over and take a bath anytime you like." She gave Sakura's hand a pat.

"Thank you, Lady Himekawa-sama." Sakura bowed.

"Now, you girls run along." She put back on her reading glasses. "I need to get back to my novel."

They smiled and walked out of the room. Hitomi lead the way to the bathroom.

"So why does your grandmother not like Sushi-sama?" Sakura asked.

Hitomi sighed. "It is a long, complicated story; perhaps some other time." She smiled. "Right now, why don't you get undressed and wash up while I fill the bath."

"Mmm" Sakura nodded and did as Hitomi said.

"It should only take a few minutes. Oh! What are you wearing?" Hitomi was in shock to see Sakura in a pair of Sushi-sama's boxers.

"Oh, well." Sakura scratched the back of her head and laughed.

"Why aren't you wearing the panties I gave you?" asked Hitomi.

"Well, you see…" Sakura began to blush. "They were a little too big."

Hitomi's eyes went wide. "And those things aren't big on you?"

Sakura waved her hands frantically. "No! That's not it. See, your panties were only a little too big, so they would ride up." She looked down and blushed again. "These things are huge on my," she pulled them out wide showing clearly how they covered more than half her thighs. "So they don't ride up."

"I see." Hitomi's own feelings of embarrassment subsided. "Well, I guess we'll have to go buy you some of your own underwear than."

Sakura gave her a nervous smile.

"I'll be back in a minute. Go ahead and start washing up. Feel free to use my shampoo as well."

Left alone in the bathroom, Sakura slapped her hands to the sides of her legs and looked about the room. "Well, I guess I should get started." She sat on the small stool and grabbed the water bowl. She filled it with water and poured it over herself. "Brrrrr!" Out of habit, she had filled it with cold water. She turned the faucet for the hot water but only a little bit. _I'll wait for the bath to enjoy the hot water. _It took the edge off the cold which was all she needed.

She poured the water over her hair several times getting it good and wet. Grabbing one of the bottles, she read the label to make sure it was the shampoo Hitomi spoke of. She worked it into her hair starting from her scalp and working it down to the tips. "Mmm, smiles nice." She smiled.

The door to the bathroom opened and Hitomi walked back in. She had changed into a shorter kimono and tied the sleeves back. "Here, let me help you with that." She came over and knelt down behind Sakura. She gently began to massage the girl's scalp. Sakura's eyes closed and she let out a pleasant moan. "Oops, sorry." She laughed.

Hitomi giggled. "That's all right. Having your hair washed by someone else is another of life's sinful pleasures."

Sakura smiled and tilted her head back a bit.

"Well, the ocean's salt water and Sushi-sama's bar soap hasn't been very good to your hair, but this should help quite a bit." A minute later, Hitomi said. "Okay, rinse."

Sakura obliged, leaning all the way forward and trying her best not to splash Hitomi.

"Aah! Why are you using such cold water?" Hitomi wiped the droplets from her leg.

"Sorry," Sakura glanced back and grinned, then turned up the hot just a bit to make the water barely lukewarm.

Hitomi smiled then grabbed the shampoo. "Here, let's give your hair a second wash."

"Mmm," Sakura nodded and sat up allowing Hitomi to wash her hair again. This time the shampoo suds'ed up a lot more, allowing its natural softness and fullness to appear. After Sakura rinsed her hair again, Hitomi grabbed the conditioner and gently worked it in.

"You have such beautiful hair; so shiny and soft." Hitomi smiled.

"Thank you, Hitomi-sensei." Sakura's cheeks turned a little rosy. "I just wish it were black like yours."

Hitomi's eyes widened. "Why is that? It's such a beautiful shade of red."

Sakura looked down and blushed a little deeper. "I don't know… It's just that, … people ask so many questions because my hair is different, and I don't know what to tell them. I don't know where I'm from or who I really am for that matter. Am I part Australian, or Irish like your grandmother suggested? Am I Japanese from my mother's side or my father's? Do I have a mother and a father? If I do, are they looking for me? Is anyone looking for me or do they think I'm dead?" Sakura wiped away a stray tear from her eye and sighed.

Suddenly, she was pulled into an a warm embrace. "Hitomi-sensei, you'll get all wet." Sakura tried to pull away.

"It's all right." Hitomi held her close. "Don't be sad, Sakura-chan. As long and you're here, you have a family. Sushi-sama and I are your family; even Grandmother. We are your family now."

Sakura relaxed and leaned back onto Hitomi's chest. "Thank you, Hitomi-oneechan."

They stayed like this a few moment's longer. "Come now. That's enough drama for one day." Hitomi smiled and knelt back. "The bath is almost filled and you still need to finish washing up. She grabbed one sponge and some soap and washed Sakura's back while the younger woman washed the rest.

Sakura filled the bowl and poured the temperate water over herself, rinsing herself off thoroughly. Hitomi checked the bath water to ensure it was good and hot. "Perfect." She turned off the faucets. "Well, take your time and enjoy the bath. I'll make us some tea and afterwords maybe we can go shopping and get you some new clothes." She waved her finger at Sakura's protest. "No arguments. You needs some proper clothes. Now, your bath is waiting."

Sakura dipped her toe in the water and pulled it back out. The water was hot but not uncomfortably hot. She dipped her foot back in and let the sensation radiate through her skin. She stepped all the way in until the water was up to her knees. It felt more wonderful than she had ever imagined.

The pleasant sensation must have been evident by her expression, because Hitomi giggled and said. "It feels even better when you sit in it." With that she stepped out of the bathroom and slid the door close.

Sakura was sure Hitomi was right but taking the time to slowly enjoy the sensation seems so much more satisfying. She intended to knee down in the water and slowly submerge herself but deciding that was probably being too silly, so she went ahead and sat down.

Hitomi started walking to the kitchen when she heard an ear piercing scream. She rushed back to the bathroom. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?"

"Don't come in!" A voice cried out, but it wasn't Sakura's voice, it was a deeper voice, a man's voice; she was certain.

"I'm coming in." Hitomi slid the door open in time to see a splash of water. The only thing on the surface of the bath was a tuft of shiny black hair. "Sakura-chan, what happened to your hair?"

Slowly, a face emerged from under the water. A face with deep dark eyes, a wide jaw and strong chin. It was followed shortly by a set of broad shoulders and a strong masculine chest.

Hitomi staggered back. "W-who are you?" She looked around the room. "Where is Sakura-chan?"

The stranger's lips quivered and he said, "I-I a-am Ssssakura."

"What?" Hitomi stared at the boy in total disbelief.

"I-it's me... It's me, Sakura." He looked down at his hands. "I'm a monster. I'm a demon. That's why I can't remember anything about myself. I'm not human." He dunked his head into the water and screamed.

Hitomi was beside herself. She didn't know what to believe. Was this boy really Sakura? How could that be possible? However, she had barely stepped out of the bathroom when she heard the scream; no time for Sakura to disappear and this boy to take her place. Still, how could it be that this boy was the petite redhead she left in the bath just a few seconds ago?

"What's going on?" Hitomi heard her grandmother call out.

"Grandmother." Hitomi rushed out of the bathroom and raced down the hall to her grandmother's bedroom. The elderly woman was slowly working herself out of bed.

"What's happening?" she demanded. "I heard a man's voice screaming."

Hitomi faked a smile and rushed over by the woman's side. "It was nothing, Grandmother. Sakura-chan just slipped and fell. Nothing serious. No reason to get out of bed."

"Sakura-chan? Does that girl have that deep a voice? I didn't notice that earlier." She gave little resistance to Hitomi's coaxing. "Is she all right?"

"Fine, fine. She's fine. Just a small bruise on her … pride."

"Ooh." The elderly woman smiled. "Well, be sure to give her some ointment. A girl shouldn't go around with her pride bruised, even if no one can see it." She picked her book back up and continued reading.

Hitomi bowed politely and backed out of the room, then rushed back down the hall and into the bathroom. The boy had gotten out of the bath and was sitting in the corner with his knees pulled up tight and his face hidden behind them. Hitomi slowly worked her way closer to the boy and could hear him muttering to himself, "I'm a monster. I'm an ugly monster." She didn't really know why she did it at that moment, but for whatever reason, she filled the water bowl with cold water and tossed the water at the boy. Before her very eyes, the boy changed back into the small, frail girl she knew as Sakura-chan.

The girl looked up with tears running down from her eyes. "I am a monster, aren't I?"

Hitomi hesitated only a second before rushing over to the girl and wrapping her arms around her. "No, of course you're not a monster." She gently stroked the girl's back. "There has to be a reason for this; a logical explanation of some kind."

"How can there be? How can a person change from a girl to a boy and back again just by getting splashed with water? It's not normal."

Hitomi racked her brain, desperately trying to think of something, anything that could explain this. Suddenly, she remembered a story Sushi-sama had told her years ago about his travels in China. She stood up and grabbed hold of Sakura's wrist, pulling her over to the stool. "Here, sit."

Sakura obliged.

Hitomi filled the bowl with hot water and poured it over Sakura. It only took a moment but the red haired girl turned into a black haired boy.

"What are you doing?"

"Just be patient." Hitomi filled the bowl again, but this time with cold water and poured it over the boy. Again, he changed back into Sakura, the little red haired girl.

"Okay." Hitomi knelt down in front of the distraught redhead. "I think I know what is going on."

"Really?"

"Mmm." Hitomi nodded. "I think you must have fallen into a cursed hot spring."

The hope that shown briefly in Sakura's eyes, vanished and was replaced with skepticism. "What?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Before his accident, Sushi-sama was a martial artist of the highest order and he traveled all over Asia in order to train. He once told me of a place in China where there were hundreds of springs and each and every one of them was cursed."

"Cursed? Cursed how?"

"Well, if I remember correctly, each spring causes the person who falls into it to be transformed into the form of whatever had drowned in that spring first. So, say if a rabbit drowned in one of the springs a 1000 years ago, anyone who falls into the spring now will turn into a rabbit."

The idea seemed farfetched to Sakura but so was the idea that she was a demon or a monster. "O-okay, but what am I then, a girl who turns into a boy, or a boy who turns into a girl?"

Hitomi tapped her fingers to her lips. "Hmm, well, I suppose to know for certain we can ask Sushi-sama."

"NO!" Sakura lunged forward and grabbed Hitomi's arms. "No, we can't tell Sushi-sama, we can't tell anyone. Please, Hitomi-oneechan. Please promise me you won't tell a soul, not a living soul."

"I promise, Sakura-chan, I promise." She guided the girl back onto the stool. "Okay, we should be able to figure this out logically." She picked up the water bowl and stared into it. "If hot water turns you into a boy and cold water turns you into a girl. And falling into the hot springs changes you into something other than what you truly are," she paused for a moment, deep in thought, "then it only makes sense that hot water is what changes you to something different and cold water returns you to your true self. Right?"

Sakura considered Hitomi's logic. _Hot water from the spring turns you into something other than who you truly are. So hot water should do the same thing; and cold water reverses the effect._ She looked up. "That makes sense." She smiled. "So I am a girl." She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I'm a girl." She bent over and pressed her face down upon her hands over her knees. "I'm a girl." Sitting back up, this time Sakura's tears were tears of relief. "I'm a girl." The two friends hugged.

Sakura dried herself off and put on the under kimono Hitomi had laid out for her. She then joined her friend in the washitsu for tea.

Hitomi reached over and placed her hand over Sakura's hand. "Don't worry. It will be all right. No one will find out, especially not Sushi-sama."

"But, but what if someone spills hot water or tea," she held up her cup, "on me by accident." Her eyes went wide. "What about the ocean water? We are in the tropics. Is the ocean water warm enough to change me?" She covered her face with her hands. "Oh Hitomi, what am I going to do?"

The young acupuncturist tapped her finger to her chin. "Well, I suppose we can go back in the bathroom and try and figure out just how hot the water needs to be for you to change into a-"

"Don't say it!" snapped Sakura, pressing her hands over her ears. "Please, just don't say it."

Hitomi smiled and gave the younger woman an agreeable node. "All right, you've been through enough for today. You can come by again tomorrow for a bath and we can find out then."

"Mmm," Sakura nodded.

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Akane Tendo and Kodachi Kuno arrived at the western most coastline of Tottori Prefecture at Sakaiminato City. They stared out over the water for a moment then Akane turned and looked out over the city. It was small compared to Tokyo but it was large enough to fill the two of them with a sense of despair. _How are we going to do this? _Akane wondered. Shaking herself of these thoughts, she put on an air of confidence and said, "One of us should probably search the coastline to see if anyone has seen or heard anything about someone washing ashore while the other should check the hospitals and file a missing person's report with the police."

Kodachi gave Akane a suspicious stare. "And if you find Ranma-sama, I'm sure you'll come running to get me, won't you? Don't think for a second I will fall for your little tricks, Tendo-san."

"Fine, we'll do both together. Of course, you know this means we will take twice as long to complete our search this way, but if that is the way you want it..." Akane paused, hoping Kodachi would see the foolishness in her way of thinking.

"Fine, it doesn't matter how long we take as long as we find Ranma-sama." Kodachi affirmed. "Where do you think we should start?"

Akane pulled out a map of the region. "The coastline is pretty long. Maybe it would be best to start there so we can take advantage of the daylight then find a police station and file the report."

Kodachi looked over the map then gave her typical Kodachi laugh. "Silly girl. There are three hospitals in this city. Hospitals have limited hours. We should start with them." She pointed at one of them on the map. "We shall start with this one." She ran off laughing and leaping from roof top to roof top.

Akane folded the map and moaned. "Why did I get stuck with that basket case?" She began running in an effort to keep up with Kodachi.. The brief moment of despair which had crept over her when they first arrived in the city was quickly replaced by hope now that they seemed to have a plan, even if it was one Akane only grudgingly went along with. With any luck either she and Kodachi, or Shampoo and Mouse, or Ukyo and Konatsu, or Saotome-sama and her father would find Ranma within the week. This was Akane's hope. The belief that Ranma was somewhere just waiting to be found was what gave Akane the energy to begin this search and would give her a strength to continue on even as one week turned into two and two weeks turned into three.

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To Be Continued …


	6. Chapter 6: The Storm

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long delay in releasing this chapter. May was a very hectic month for me. But hopefully, I'll be able to get back to releasing a chapter about every other week. At least I hope so. I hope you enjoy this one. It is Sakura heavy. Not much Akane, but please be patient. Akane will be featured more in future chapters.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 6: The Storm

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Sakura couldn't help but twirl about in the new dress she was wearing as she and Sushi Ueda walked down the street to the center of town. The other day, Hitomi Himekawa insisted on taking her shopping and ended up buying her a whole wardrobe. They bought her an assortment of dresses, skirts, shorts, blouses, tank tops, and shoes, including a pair of dai and a pair of zori. They also bought her panties, bras and socks, along with 2 pair of tabi. In addition to a host of accessories and makeup, Hitomi insisted on buying Sakura 2 yukata and a silk kimono as well. "A lady must have a decent kimono, or how can she call herself a lady," Hitomi insisted. Sakura was beside herself. She tried to refuse her friend's generosity, but Hitomi would not be dissuaded.

Sakura felt more than a little embarrassed that day, having Hitomi buy her all those things, but today was different. Today, she was enjoying the new summer dress she was wearing, along with the stylish sandals. And it felt wonderful to be wearing a bra and panties that actually fit. She was as giddy as a school girl and it clearly showed. Master Sushi could not help but give a quiet laugh when she twirled around for the fifth time.

The young redhead blushed slightly but couldn't stop smiling. "I'm sorry. I just never thought wearing something like this could feel so wonderful," she laughed.

"No need to apologize. You look very pretty, much better than in my old clothes," he chuckled.

Sakura's smile grew. "You really think I look pretty, Sushi-sama?"

The man smiled. "Yes, of course. You are a very pretty girl, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's smile faltered just a bit, but she quickly recovered and twirled again. "Thank you, Sushi-sama." It troubled her ever so lightly that he said, girl; not lady or woman, but girl. But why did this bother her? She wasn't sure and she was far too happy right now to spend any time worrying about it. They were heading into town so Sushi-sama could introduce her to some of his friends, and the idea of people seeing her in her new dress filled Sakura with excitement.

The first place they stopped was at the barber shop. The barber, a tall thin man with no hair to speak of on the top of his head and eyebrows far too thick for any human, was busy cutting a stout man's hair. He carried on a conversation with his customer along with a middle aged man who was sitting and waiting for his turn on the other barber's chair and a thin old man sitting on a chair against the wall. The old man was clearly paying more attention to the newspaper he was reading than the conversation.

"I don't see why we shouldn't get our fair share of the relief money. The storm hit our island as strongly as any of the others," the barber, Imai, said.

"Yes, we got hit, but we didn't suffer the damage most of the other islands suffered. We were lucky. No one died or ended up missing. None of the other islands can say that." The man waiting for a haircut, Arakaki, pointed out.

"But what about the damage to the businesses here?" The barber pointed with his scissors to the wall sized window at the front of his shop.

The man getting his hair cut, Uehara, looked over at the lower corner of the window and snorted. "Please, that's just a crack."

The barber roughly turned the man's head back straight.

"And if memory services me correctly, that crack was there before the storm." Master Sushi pointed out.

The men turned. "Ueda-san!" The barber stepped forward and bowed then extended his hand and clasped Master Sushi's elbow as a form of a handshake. "It's good to see you Ueda-san. You haven't been by since before the storm." He picked at Master Sushi's hair with his scissors." "Getting a little shaggy I see." He turned to the man in the second barber's chair. "Arakaki-san, move, move. You're not in any rush. Let Ueda-san go first." He shoved the middle aged man from the chair.

"That's all right, Imai-san, I don't have time right now for a hair cut. Please, Arakaki-san, sit back down." Master Sushi gestured with his cane.

"Are you sure, Ueda-san? I don't mind waiting." Arakaki assured him.

"Really, it is fine. I only came by to introduce you all to the newest resident to our island, Sakura-chan." Sakura stepped out from behind Master Sushi. She offered a broad smile and bowed deeply. "Hello, my name is Sakura. Hmm, it is a pleasure to meet you all."

The four men's eyes grew wide. For a moment no one knew what to say. Finally, the barber spoke. "Who is this Ueda-san, a friend of yours? I thought you said you had no family."

"She is not family. I found her washed up on the beach, the day after the storm," he answered. "Sakura-chan, this is Imai-san. He is the finest barber on the island."

Imai smiled proudly but was deflated a bit when the stout man followed with, "He's the only barber on the island." The other men laughed.

"And this is Arakaki-san. He owns the largest hotel on the island." Master Sushi continued.

Before Arakaki could respond, the barber added, "yes, all six rooms worth," and he laughed at his own joke.

Arakaki ignored the barber's weak attempt at humor and stepped forward, bowing politely to Sakura then extending his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's smile grew and she stepped forward, putting out her hand. To her surprise, instead of just shaking it, Arakaki gently turned Sakura's hand palm down and brought it up to his lips,

"She's very cute, Ueda-san. Even cuter when she blushes," the stout man said while brushing past Arakaki and duplicating his actions. Sakura blushed deeper still. "My name is Uehara. I am City Manager and Port Administrator. It is a pleasure to meet you young lady." He beamed happily.

Imai grabbed Uehara by the collar and pulled him back to the chair. "Sit down. I'm not done yet."

Master Sushi gave a silent laugh then walked over to the elderly man who remained seated quietly, reading his newspaper. "Shimabukuro-sama, I'm glad to see you are doing well." Master Sushi bowed low.

The elderly man folded his paper and set it aside, then casually stood up and offered a polite bow back. "It is always a joy to see you, Ueda-kun. And it is about time you brought your young friend over to see me." He turned to Sakura and waited for Master Sushi to introduce him.

The martial arts instructed did just that. "Sakura-chan, this is Shimabukuro-sama. He is the mayor of Akajimo Island. His family is the oldest in town, having helped settle the island over 500 years ago."

Sakura bowed low. "It is an honor to meet you Shimabukuro-sama."

The mayor gave a slight bow. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Sakura-chan. I've heard so much about you from Himekawa-kun. She speaks very highly of you."

Sakura blushed again. "Hitomi-sensei is too kind."

'Nonsense," the mayor smiled. "I've always found Himekawa-kun to be quite honest and direct. It is one of her most endearing, and annoying qualities." He gave a small chuckle. "Come, sit. Let us talk. I want to know all about you."

Sakura hesitated only for a second before sitting next to the mayor. Master Sushi took the seat next to her. Mayor Shimabukuro and Imai, the barber, asked numerous questions, and both Sakura and Master Sushi tried to answer them as best they could but there was much about Sakura they did not know.

During the course of the afternoon, several people came and went from the barber shop. Some came to get hair cuts but most simply came to meet and talk to the young lady who had washed up on their shore.

By the end of the day, it was decided that Sakura was part Japanese and part Australian, with a little Irish mixed in to account for her red hair. That she was sailing on a yacht in the Sea of Japan when the storm hit and was the only survivor of the doomed craft. They also concluded that she was well-traveled based on the mixture of dialects she spoke with but that she spent a far amount of time in Tokyo since that seemed to be her dominant dialect. And finally, that she was between 16 and 19 years old. Most of the woman that stopped by to see her, seemed to think she was 16 or 17 based on her height, while most of the men seemed to think she was 18 or 19, based on her figure, though none of them were bold enough to admit that that was the reason for their estimate.

Sakura also learned a few things as well. She learned that Akajimo Island was the smallest inhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture. She learned that there were just over 700 people living on the island, and that most of the inhabitants were either fishermen or merchants, selling souvenirs to the many tourists who visited the island all year long. She also learned that spring time was the beginning typhoon season and the storm that washed her ashore was just the first of what was sure to be a long series of storms to hit the island.

While sitting in the barber shop, she met dozens of people, each anxious to see the island's newest inhabitant. Sakura also learn just how respected Master Sushi was on the island. It seemed that the only person whose presence demanded more respect was the mayor. Despite the high regard everyone seemed to have for him, Master Sushi remained friendly and receptive the entire time. She was already grateful to him for taking her in and looking after her while she was unconscious, and for giving her a home even though he know nothing about her and always treating her with respect and kindness. Now, she felt even more admiration and respect towards this man whom everyone held in such high regard, though it was still a little unclear to her why he was so well respected.

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Sakura wanted to finish sweeping the dojo before the sun went down. While there were a number of lamps in the room, they did not provide enough light to clearly see all the dust and sand that found its way in. The children would buff the floors clean in the morning before their lessons but she liked cleaning up after Master Sushi's evening Tai Chi classes as well. When she was done, Sakura lit one of the lamps and closed the doors to the outer courtyard. She started heading for the main door when she stopped. Setting the lamp down, she assumed a horse stance.

The redhead was very surprised the first time she watched the elderly folks perform the Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan forms. They started out slow, as she expected. They were old after all. Suddenly, their movements became more powerful and explosive. It was soon obvious to her that this form of Tai Chi was not simply an exercise for old bones and muscles but a powerful and even lethal martial art. She had already started training in Karate with the children in the morning, and it seemed to come to her quite naturally.

_Maybe this will, too._ She hoped as she started out slowly; carefully duplicating the hand and arm movements she had seem Master Sushi's students follow each evening. She followed the step patterns, and turned and moved just as she remembered them moving. Then, Sakura erupted with a series of powerful thrusts and sweeping kicks. The motions flowed from her, as if they were ingrained in her from years of training. She moved so quickly, with such precision, that she made the air snap around her as if she was handling a whip. When she was done, she stood back in her horse stance, her muscles tight, her breath labored, and sweat beading all over her body.

"Your feet are too close together. Widen your stands."

She gasped and turned to see the master of the dojo standing in the doorway. She stood up straight and bowed. "I'm sorry, Sushi-sama. I didn't mean to linger in here so long."

The man shook his head and smiled. "It is fine, Sakura-chan. I've told you before, treat my home as your own; that goes for the dojo as well." He stepped further in. "However, I must ask what technique was that you were using?"

"Huh?" His question confused Sakura. She had thought she was duplicating the Chen Style forms Master Sushi had his students practicing today. Had she gotten it wrong?

Then he clarified. "You seemed to have started out with the forms we worked on today but near the end it changed. It was a technique I had never seen before. Can you remember any more of it?"

"Mmmm, I can try." Sakura got back in her horse stance and tried to think of the movements she made. She remembered how she started and following the forms she had seen earlier but then it slowly started to fade. Only flashes of kicks and punches remained. She tried piecing them together but what came out the a short series of awkward motions that felt clumsy and uneven. She stopped, not wanting to embarrass herself any further. "I'm sorry, Sushi-sama. I-I can't … I can't seem to remember."

Master Sushi seemed lost in thought for a moment, but then he smiled and gestured for her to follow him. "That's all right, Sakura-chan. If you like, you can join in during the evening classes as well."

"Really, Sushi-sama? You don't think your students will mind?"

"I'm sure the old folks would enjoy having you join them, especially the men," Master Sushi teased.

Sakura blushed which made Master Sushi laugh. "Not to worry, I'll be sure they are all on their best behavior."

Now Sakura was embarrassed for being embarrassed in the first place, but she shook it off and offered him an appreciative smile. "I look forward to it."

The spent the remainder of the evening drinking tea in the garden and enjoying the moon and the stars.

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A few days later, Sakura was conducting Master Sushi's morning karate class. In three short weeks, she had far surpassed all of his other students (which was not a terribly difficult task since all of his students were six and seven years old) and now on occasion Master Sushi would ask her to conduct his classes for him. On this day, the shouts were a bit louder than usual, the punches a little crisper, and the kicks were noticeable stronger from everyone.

The city hall bell rang out in the distance letting everyone know it was 7:30am. "All right everyone, that's the lesson for today."

The collective moans echoed in the dojo.

"Come now, hurry up and clean or you'll be late for school," she reminded them.

"Yes, Sensei!" The students said in unison, then they stood up straight and bowed. "Thank you for teaching us, Sensei."

Sakura returned the bow. "Thank you for your patience with me."

It took them only fifteen minutes to clean the dojo and then the children made their way out and down the hall. Sakura followed after them. She couldn't help but be a little happy with herself. She was pretty sure her teaching skills had improved since the first time she conducted one of Master Sushi's classes. However, she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to since his requests seemed to increase this past week. She was roused from her thoughts when she passed a couple of the children. She stopped and said, "Come along children. You'll be late for school if you don't hurry."

They turned and ran down the hall, calling back, "Yes, Sensei."

She smiled after them, then turned towards the garden to see what had captured their attention. What the saw surprised her even more than seeing the old people jumping and kicking like viral teenagers. She saw Master Sushi standing in front of the small pond in the middle of the garden. This in itself was not so surprising. Master Sushi often stood by the pool to meditate. What was different about this time was that he was standing there without the aid of his canes, seemingly added by two small whirlwinds each swirling around one leg. Not only that, but the water was lapping up forming a wave inside the pool. As if this was not amazing enough, the wave seemed to be suspended in place instead of crashing down and spilling out of the pool.

Sakura could not believe her eyes. This was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. But how was this possible, she wondered. Though she had no memory of anything before the day she woke up in Master Sushi's house, she was fairly certain that what she was witnessing should not be possible. She stepped down from the hallway onto the garden path and slowly made her way towards the man.

When she was close enough to touch him, she reached out but stopped short. Thinking better of it, she let her hand fall away and instead said softly, "Sushi-sama, h-how are you doing this."

Master Sushi, whose hands were in constant motion the whole time, altered the pattern he was making. This had the effect of causing the wave to settle gently back down into the pool. With his hands still in motion, he asked Sakura for his canes which were sitting on a stone a short distance from him. She retrieved them and held them out for him. He stopped his hand motions and took hold of the canes. A few seconds later the whirlwinds around his legs died away. He staggered slightly but quickly regained his balance with his canes.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan." He took several deep breaths. Sakura pulled her sleeve over her hand and wiped the perspiration from his forehead.

After catching his breath, the martial arts master answered, "It is called Godai, the five elements." He took another deep breath. "Come, let us go inside. We can talk about this over some tea." Before he could take another step, Master Sushi stumbled and would had fallen to the ground had Sakura not reacted in a split second and braced him. "Thank you, Sakura. I'm fine now."

She reluctantly backed away. Thinking quickly, Sakura ran over and grabbed a pad and hurried back. "Here, sit. It's a lovely morning. We can have our tea out here."

Master Sushi nodded his agreement and knelt down on the pad.

"I'll be right back with the tea." Sakura ran off and a few minutes later returned with a pot of tea and two cups. She set them down next to him and rushed to get a pad for herself. Kneeling down, she served them both and waited patiently for Master Sushi to speak.

He took a sip and complimented Sakura on the quality of her tea. Then he proceeded to explain the nature of the five elements: earth, fire, wind, water and the void. He explained how the great swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi wrote a book called, The Book of Five Rings. How the book was a text on the art of the sword and martial arts in general as well as a treatise on military strategy. He explained how Musashi applied the principle of the five elements to martial arts and battle strategy, but from this he also developed a philosophy of life in general.

"This is all quite fascinating," said Sakura sincerely, "but how does this explain what you were doing by the pool?"

Master Sushi smiled. "I learned that through applying Miyamoto Musashi's principles to Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan and manipulating my ki and just the right way, I was able to control the elements themselves. Of course I have not learned to control all of the elements as of yet, but I have learned to control water and wind. It is very tiring, but living on an island subject to typhoons, it has come in very handy."

Sakura nodded, though initially she wasn't sure what he meant by his last comment. Suddenly, it dawned upon her. "You protected the island! You are the reason no one on the island died in the last storm and why the huts along the shore survived."

Master Sushi bowed his head. "I did what I could. We were lucky this time, but there is no guarantee I'll be able to do that again, with this next storm coming."

Sakura's eyes grew wide. "There's another storm coming?"

He nodded. "It's following a very similar path as the last one and should hit us in three days. That is why I've asked you to teach so many of my classes of late. I need time to train in order to improve my skills. Only by getting stronger will I be able to protect a greater portion of the island and do it more securely."

The redhead sprang to her feet. "Let me help you! Teach me to control the elements too so I can help you this time."

Master Sushi smiled. "That is very kind of you, Sakura-chan and brave as well. But to control the elements requires a mastery of Chen Style and a clear understanding of Musashi's principles. I'm afraid you have neither right now." He reached over and grabbed his canes and with great effort, he stood up. "Come," he said as he headed in doors.

Sakura followed but quickly turned around and picked up the tea pot and cups, then ran after him. After depositing the dishes in the kitchen, she followed Master Sushi to his room. In there, he knelt down in front of his chest and opened it. It did not take him long to find what he was looking for. "Here." He handed an old book to Sakura.

"The Book of Five Rings." She stared at the book for a moment before looking up and smiling. "Thank you, Sushi-sama."

He stood back up and made his way to his futon. "Don't thank me yet. You still have a long way to go before you can even think about trying to control the elements. But if you are truly interested, reading that book is the first step." He lay down with a sigh. "Now, I need some rest. Controlling the elements takes a lot out of you. Please, Sakura-chan, wake me before noon."

"I will, Sushi-sama." She bowed and quietly exited the room. Once out in the hall, she ran over to the garden and sitting in the morning sunlight she began to read.

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The arrival of the next storm was one of the most terrifying experiences in Sakura's life. Master Sushi told her to stay home but Sakura insisted on accompanying him on the stony walkway. She started out beside him as the storm approached. Lightning and thunder came first, followed shortly after by the rain. They stood there getting soaked but he waited. Finally, Sakura asked him what he was waiting for. Master Sushi answered, "Doing this takes all my strength. I have to wait until the worst has arrived or I might not have the energy to continue when the storm is its most terrible. The winds began to seriously pick up and the rain was hitting them horizontally now. Master Sushi handed his canes to Sakura and he created a whirlwind around himself up to his chest to hold him upright. Because of this, Sakura had to back away several steps. Then she witnessed the most amazing thing in her life. As Master Sushi performed a modified version of the forms she had been learning, the strong winds slowly changed into a gentle swirling wind which grew steadily in size. She looked all around her and as she did, she could see distant trees which had been bending nearly in half were now simply swaying as if being rustled by a gentle breeze. This was followed by the rain, which had been coming down like a waterfall. Gradually, it changed to a light shower. Looking up she could see the rain pelting down and bouncing off some invisible dome which was now covering a large portion of the island.

Sakura watched in astonishment as the storm raged beyond the invisible dome but inside it was like a mild autumn shower. She began to relax and was taken by surprise when a series of large waves crashed upon the beach and rushed towards them. The last and strongest of them hit them head on sending Sakura flying back a good ten yards. She screamed, having been taken by surprise by the wave, but the scream was muffled by the rushing water. She quickly looked over at Master Sushi to see if he was all right. She was astounded to see him still standing, protected by his whirlwind. She cried out, "Sushi-sama!" but regretted it the moment the words passed her lips. As he turned and frantically searching the ground behind him with his eyes, "Sakura-chan!" the invisible dome quickly shrank and the full force of the typhoon began ravaging the island. Sakura scrambled to her feet and rushed as quickly as she could over to him. "I'm fine Sushi-sama! I'm fine." At that instant, his worried expression frightened her more than the typhoon. "The storm, Sushi-sama!" she reminded him. It was the strangest thing, though they were being battered by the wind and the rain, his thoughts seemed to be solely set on her and her well being. Hearing her words snapped Master Sushi out of his funk and quickly restored the protective dome over the majority of the island, this time buffering the beach from the crashing waves as well.

Despite being safe from the wind, rain and waves inside the protective dome Master Sushi had created, Sakura still trembling in fear with the flash of each bolt of lightning and the crash of each round of thunder. The contrasts of near total darkness brought about by the thick black clouds and the blinking light caused by the lightning made Sakura's heart jump over and over again. The thunder was deafeningly loud and caused the ground to shake like an earthquake. It made Sakura fall over so many times that she finally just stayed on the ground and covered her ears as she screamed silently in her head, "Stop! Stop! Stop!"

Six hours of this passed before Master Sushi finally lowered the protective dome and slowly allowed the whirlwind around him to dissipate. "Sakura-chan!" he cried out. "Sakura-chan!" but she didn't hear him. She was still on the ground with her hands over her ears and her eyes screwed shut. He managed to stumble over to her before he fell to the ground.

Feeling his touch, Sakura sprang up but not in time to catch him. "Sushi-sama!" She grabbed his canes which she held underneath her and rushed to his side. "Sushi-sama! Can you stand?"

He nodded and held his hands out for his canes, but instead, Sakura turned around and pulled his arms over her shoulders to help him up. Then she place each cane in his hand. She shifted over to one side in order to help him in their walk back home. "Is it over, Sushi-sama?"

He shook his head. "The worst of it is, but the storm will not end till morning. I've done all I can do. The island should be safe."

They returned to their home and Sakura helped Master Sushi to his bedroom. She ran to the bathroom and returned with an armful of towels. After they dried off, Sakura helped Master Sushi into his futon. Just as she was pulling up the blanket over him, a flash of lightning lit up the entire house and the crack of the thunder made the whole house shake. Sakura trembled in fear, momentarily paralyzed by the awesome power of nature. Master Sushi placed his hand over hers and whispered. "Come, sleep here tonight, Sakura-chan." Seeing the surprised look on her face, he followed with, "To tell you the truth, the thunder and lightning frighten me too. Please, don't tell anyone, but I'd rather not be alone." Sakura gave him a thankful smile and then crawled into bed with him, pulling the blanket over her head and curling up close to her martial arts master and friend. The exhausted martial artist wrapped his arms around the tiny redhead, absorbing the tremors her body released with each flash of lightning and crash of thunder.

The day after the storm passed, Sakura asked Master Sushi to start training her in Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan outside of the regular evening classes. She knew if she was going to overcome her fear of lightning, she was going to need to learn how to control it. Thinking back on that stormy night, though she spent most of the time cowering on the ground with her hands over her ears, she did recall seeing on occasion bolts of lightning striking the protective dome and following the coarse of the dome, eventually striking the sea. Master Sushi explained that the lightning followed the path of least resistance which in most cases was the wide river of water rolling off the dome he created. So while the lightning lit up the sky and the thunder shook the earth, they and everyone else inside the dome were relatively safe.

Master Sushi was initially amused by her intense desire to learn in order to control the elements but soon he found that she not only had a desire to learn, but she also possessed the rare ability to master the things she was taught after doing them just once. In his life, he had encountered few martial artists who possessed this ability. In fact, he had it himself to some degree; however, he had never witnessed anyone with the ability at Sakura's level. In training her, Master Sushi started out slow and gentle but he soon learned that she responded best when she was pushed and pushed hard. So push her, he did.

Master Sushi first thought that with hard work, Sakura may be ready to begin training in the elements in four or five years. More recently, he revised his estimate to about a year. This day, watching her go through all of the forms he had taught her, he revised his estimate again. "Keep this up, and we'll be able to begin your training in the elements in about a month." Sakura's enthusiasm skyrocketed. She had hoped to be able to begin learning the elements right away. Reading, The Book of Five Rings, consumed all of her spare time. In fact, she read and re-read the book six times already and was planning on reading it a seventh time as well. Now having a date to look forward to helped the fire that was already raging in her to erupt into an inferno.

Sakura practically collapsed from exhaustion after completing the forms. Master Sushi walked over to her and handed her a towel. "I've never seen anyone push themselves as hard as you do, Sakura-chan." She took the towel and wiped her face, and offered her teacher a broad smile. Slowly, he lowered himself to the floor and sat next to her. Sakura sat properly and waited. She always pushed herself like this and nearly always collapsed afterward, but Master Sushi never sat down beside to her in the dojo before. She assumed there was something he wanted to tell her and she was right.

Master Sushi stared out into the courtyard for several minutes.

"Sushi-sama?" Sakura gave him a questioning look.

"I started training in martial arts when I was very young; first in Karate, but not long after I began my training in Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan. By the time I was a young teenager I was highly skilled at both, and very arrogant. It was about this time that I first read, The Book of Five Rings. Like Miyamoto Musashi, I abandoned my master and went off to train on my own. I spent much time in the mountains and down by the sea. Whenever I heard of a dojo with some reputation I would travel there and challenge their master. If I won, which I did, sometimes, I would smash their sign and ridicule them for being weak. If I lost, I would stay on and train there for awhile until I felt I had learned all I needed to learn. Eventually, I sought new challenges and traveled abroad. I went to China, where I trained with the Shaolin monks. I even went to the Jusenkyo Training Grounds to train."

Sakura's eyes went wide for a moment. "Jusenkyo Training Grounds?" She gulped nervously.

"Yes. It is a place where martial artists trained long ago on bamboo poles high above a field of cursed springs."

"C-cursed springs?"

"In each …" he paused for a moment. "Well, that's getting off track. I'll tell you about them some other time." He continued his story.

Sakura had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, she was curious to know more about the cursed springs, but on the other hand, she was deathly afraid to learn more about the place, she assumed she must have traveled to sometime in her life.

"Eventually, I traveled to India."

"India?"

"Yes, I had heard of a legend that if a man could defeat a tiger with his bare hands and eat its heart, he would gain the power of the tiger."

"Eeew!" The very idea of killing a tiger just to rip out its heart and eat it made Sakura's stomach turn.

Master Sushi lowered his head. "You must understand, I was a different man back then. Getting stronger was all that mattered to me, and if killing a tiger and ripping out its heart and eating it would make me stronger, than I was determined to do it. Of course, not just any tiger would do. So I set out to find the largest, most powerful tiger in all of India. Eventually, deep in the jungles, I found him. He was an enormous cat at nearly five meters in length and he must have weighed close to three hundred kilos. His demeanor matched his size. He was fierce and fearless. When we faced off I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to kill me just as much as I wanted to kill him."

"Is that how you suffered your injury?" Sakura looked down at his legs.

Master Sushi smiled. "No. That wasn't it. See, we fought and we both did suffer serious injuries, but nothing permanent. No, our battle lasted for many hours, nearly a whole day and night. In the end we were both completely spend and broken. And from our battle, a new found respect and friendship was formed. At first, I named him Musashi, because of his great strength and the power of his two claws reminded me of Miyamoto Musashi's two sword technique. But living in the jungle with him over the passing months, I decided that Mitsukuni was a better name for him. Though he was very powerful, what truly set this great cat apart from the other creatures in the jungle was his incredible intelligence. He taught me so many thinks about survival, about life, about friendship in my time in the jungle.

"I would have stayed in the jungle forever, but Mitsukuni knew I needed to return to my people, my world. So I left. However, when I was just a few miles away, I heard Mitsukuni roar like never before. At first, I thought it was out of loneliness, but then I realized it was a battle roar. I raced back as fast as I could, only to find Mitsukuni died. He had been taken down by the tiger's only natural enemy, besides man. Wild dogs usually travel in packs of twelve or fifteen, but this pack head over thirty in it. Mitsukuni was a great cat but even he couldn't battle that many wild dogs all at once. I think he must have managed to kill about a dozen before they took him down. I think I managed to kill about a dozen or more before the got the better of me. I would have died that day if not for some hunters who just happen to come along as I was being mauled. They took me to the nearest village, but even that was about a half a day's ride by jeep, and they didn't exactly have the best medical equipment there. They managed to stop the bleeding, but infection soon set in and they had to cut away most of my thigh muscles. Still, I survived and managed to return home. But I couldn't exactly go home. You see, I was so arrogant when I left, to return maimed would have been too humiliating, so I came here instead. The people of this island took me in as one of their own almost instantly, and here I've learned the true meaning of power." He held up his fist. "It is not this." He opened his hand, palm side up. "It is this."

Sakura smiled.

"I tell you this because it seems obvious to me, that whoever you were before, one thing is for sure. You were a martial artist, and apparently a great one. But like me, you may have pushed yourself too hard and maybe that is what lead to your being in that storm and suffering amnesia. I told you all this to say to you that gaining strength for strengths sake will only lead to heartache and sadness."

Sakura looked down for a moment than looked up and stared Master Sushi squarely in the eye. "I do want to gain strength. I want the power to be able to control the elements like you do, Sushi-sama. But I don't want it for strength's sake. I want it for I can help you … so I can help you protect this island and everyone on it. I see how it saps you of all your strength and I just want to help you. I want to take some of the burden off your shoulders and place it on mine. Is that wrong of me, Sushi-sama?"

Master Sushi studied Sakura's expression for a moment, and in that moment he saw nothing but genuine care and concern. He smiled and ruffled the hair on the top of her head. "No, Sakura-chan. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I can't imagine a better reason to want to learn control over the elements." He stretched and started to stand. Sakura spring to her feet, helped him up, and handed him his canes. "Come, let's have some tea before we go to the grocery store."

"Mmm," Sakura nodded and walked along side her teacher filled with a sense of gratitude that he finally felt close enough to her to share his story with her. She wished she could do the same, but she had no story to share. Or did she? There was that one secret, that one horrible secret, but even Sakura wished she didn't know about it herself. How could she possibly share it with anyone else? No, if she had her way, she would take this secret to the grave with her. No one must ever know, she affirmed. No one.

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Shampoo stood upon the rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. She sighed, "Ranma, where are you?"

Mousse walked up behind her. "Shampoo, we've searched each of the islands and all along the coast. We filed a missing person's report at every police station along the way. If Ranma shows up anywhere around here, I'm sure we'll be notified." He paused for a moment. "It's time to make the call, Shampoo."

The Amazon martial artist continued to stare out over the ocean a while longer.

"Shampoo."

This time she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone to make the fateful call. "Yes, is Shampoo. We not find Ranma. Yes, I see. We return in few days." She hung up. Without turning to face Mousse, she informed him, "No one else call yet."

"Well, that's good, right?" Mousse tried to cheer her up. "I mean, there's still a chance one of the others may have found him."

Shampoo shook her head. "If already found, would have called in already." She sighed deeply and turned to face her companion. "Time to go home."

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Ukyo stood facing the bridge leading to Sakaiminato City, the starting point of Akane's search and the end of hers. She was so very tempted to cross the bridge and continue searching for her Ran-chan, but she know in her heart of hearts that Akane would have left no stone unturned in looking for Ranma, so there was no reason to repeat her search.

"Ukyo-sama, we should call now, don't you think?" Her companion asked.

Ukyo let out a deep sigh and reached into her pocket. She pulled out her cellphone and stared at it for a moment, then handed it to Konatsu. "You call. I'm too depressed to speak to anyone."

He accepted the phone and seeing that Ukyo had already entered the number, he pressed send and waited for them to answer. "Hello, this is Konatsu. Ukyo-sama and I have completed our search. Unfortunately, we have not found Ranma-sama nor have we encountered anyone who has claimed to have seen him. Has anyone else reported in yet? … I see. … I see. Very well, we shall return home then. Please contact us if there is any news of Ranma-sama's whereabouts. Thank you." He ended to call and handed the phone back to Ukyo. "Shampoo-sama and Mousse-san have already reported in. They did not find anyone who has seen Ranma-sama. Akane-sama and Kodocha-san have not reported in yet, nor has Saotome-sama and Tendo-sama, so there is still hope." He offered a guarded smile.

"If Akane had found Ran-chan already, she would have called in right away. I'm sure of it." Ukyo took one last look at the bridge then turned to Konatsu. "Come on, let's go home."

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Soun and Genma sat down on the sand along the beach on Sado Island. They kicked off their sandals and rubbed their tired feet.

"Where could that boy be?" groaned Saotome.

"Don't worry, Saotome-kun. I"m sure Akane or one of the others found Ranma by now." Tendo tried to reassure his friend.

"They better, for my sake. If we return without Ranma, I'm a dead man." Saotome buried his face in his hands.

Tendo just shook his head in disbelief. He pulled out his cellphone and called home.

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Akane Tendo led Kodachi Kuno out of the police station at Maizuru. "How dear you treat me this way! I am a well respected member of the community I'll have you know! And ridiculously rich as well! To be treated in this manner is reprehensible!" Kodachi blustered.

Akane sighed in frustration. _I would have been better off searching alone. Kodachi is simply unbelievable. _ She stopped to watch Kodachi a few moments longer as he continued in her tirade at the police. _Unbelievably annoying._

She walked away and sighed again, but this time it was out of frustration of a different kind. Despite being hampered by Kodachi antics, Akane searched diligently, interviewing hundreds, no thousands of people, visiting every hospital and clinic along their route. Stopping at every police station, talking to every pretty girl and handsome guy (knowing Ranma's propensity for attracting suitors). Akane felt sure she covered every possible place Ranma may have gone or have been seen had he washed up in her search area. Grudgingly, she pulled out her cellphone and dialed home.

"Hello, Tendo residence."

"Hello Nabiki. It's me."

"Akane, I was expecting your call."

"You were?"

"Mmm, everyone else has already called in and are heading home."

"So, I guess that means they didn't find Ranma either?"

"No, no luck. But hey, don't worry. I'm sure now that the police and hospitals all up and down the southern and mid-coastline know about Ranma, it's just a matter of time before he is found."

Akane wanted to say, she was going to continue looking. She wanted to say, she would search all the way up to Hokkaido if she had to, but just then, Nabiki added, "Come home now, Akane. Otousan is on his way home to and misses you terribly."

Akane closed her eyes and replied, "All right, Nabiki. We'll be home in a few days." With that she hung up. Seeing Kodachi was still continuing her tirade irritated Akane to no end. She went and grabbed her by the back of her collar and pulled her along. "Come on Kodachi. We're going home."

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To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7: A New Look

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

Author's Notes: I'm so very sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out. It has been another busy month for me and to tell you the truth, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to post this, this weekend either. Fortunately, I got up early this Sunday and finished it off. I have to say, I am a bit overwhelmed to see just how many people are following this story. It is very exciting to see that not only hundreds of reader here in the USA are following this story, but readers from all over the world. I have heard from some of you and it really excites me when I do. I'd love to hear from more of you. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I look forward to reading your thoughts about it.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 7: A New Look

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Master Sushi and Sakura were enjoying a simple lunch of rice and miso soup when a gruff voice echoed through the house. "Sushi-sama! Sushi-sama, where are you!"

Sakura looked over at her teacher who appeared not to have heard the loud cries of his name. He seemed too busy enjoying his lunch to be bothered by this annoying person, who ever he was.

"Sushi-sama!" A tall, awkward looking man in uniform appeared at the doorway of the washitsu. "Sushi-sama, why didn't you answer me?"

"Keisatsukan Yukito-kun. It is lunchtime. You know where you will find me at this time of the day, everyday. We've gone through this many times." Master Sushi took a sip of his tea. "Would you care to join us?"

The police officer took off his hat and looked over at the table while wiping the sweat off his brow. "Well, maybe some miso?"

Sakura sprang to her feet. "I'll get another bowl," and before either man could say a word, she was racing down the hall to the kitchen.

The officer stared off after the girl. "I heard you had a guest living with you; someone who washed up on our beach. Is that her?"

"Yes, that's right. Sakura-chan washed up on shore over two months ago now." Master Sushi raised a curious eyebrow. "Nearly everyone on the island has met her already. You're only hearing about her now?"

The tall man looked dejectedly down at his feet. "No one ever tells me anything, including you, Sushi-sama."

Sakura returned with a couple of clean bowls and utensils. "Here you go, Keisatsukan."

Before she could serve the office, Master Sushi said, "Sakura-chan, allow me to introduce you. Keisatsukan Yukito-kun, this is Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan, this is the constable of our little island, Keisatsukan Yukito-kun."

Sakura bowed low. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Keisatsukan Yukito-san."

The officer smiled and bowed back. "The pleasure is all mine, Sakura-chan."

"Please, sit." Sakura gestured. They both sat down and she serviced him a healthy portion of miso soup.

"Mmmm, it looks delicious." The tall man licked his lips and brought a spoonful to his mouth. "Mmmmm, it is delicious."

"Sakura-chan made it," Master Sushi said with a smile, duplicating the officer's action.

"Sakura-chan, you're a great cook!" exclaimed Yukito.

The girl giggled. "No, it's just miso. It's nothing special. Hitomi-oneechan is a great cook. I can learn a lot from her."

"Well, this is one lesson you've learned already." Yukito gestured with the bowl which he was holding close to his mouth now.

Sakura smiled. "Would you like some rice as well?"

"Mmm, please." The officer nodded.

She serviced him up a big bowl of rice and placed a clean set of chopsticks next to it.

They ate in relative silence until Master Sushi observed that Yukito's mouth was overflowing with food having begun work on his second helping of rice. Sushi grinned to himself and asked, "So Keisatsukan Yukito-kun, what brings you to my home today?"

The officer covered his mouth to keep from spewing out all he had just stuffed in. He swallowed hard and pounded his chest in a futile effort to clear his throat of all its blockage. Sakura poured him a cup of tea, which he tried to drink down but he still had so much food in his mouth that it sprayed out instead.

Finally getting himself under control, Yukito grabbed a napkin and began wiping the table. "I've very sorry about that." But Sakura had already begun cleaning up and reassured him that it was all right.

Sitting back down, officer cleared his throat. "Well, actually, you're the reason I'm here, Sakura-chan."

The girl's eyes went wide. "Me?"

"Is it true you are suffering from amnesia?"

"Mmm," she nodded. "I can't remember anything of before I washed up on the island."

"Well, if you stop by the station, we can file a report and send it out to other stations all across Japan. That way, if anyone is looking for you, they will see a picture of you and know you are here on Akajimo."

Sakura was both excited and a little nervous. What if her washing up on this island was no accident? What if she was trying to get away from whomever it was she was with? And what about the life she was building here in Akajimo? Hitomi was like a big sister to her and Master Sushi was like a, a big brother, or dad, or at least a really wonderful uncle. And everyone else on the island had been so wonderful to her. Did she really want to know who she really was? Did she really want to leave her new home? Sakura gave a forced smile. "That's great. Okay. I'll come by … hmm" She paused.

"Well, I have rounds to make today, and I have to go to Okinawa for some supplies, but feel free to stop by any day this week. It shouldn't take even an hour to fill out the report." Yukito smiled.

"O-okay, sure. I'll stop by later this week." Sakura felt a sense of relief. She would go but at least she didn't have to go right now. She looked over at Master Sushi and could see in his eyes. He knew, he knew how she felt. For a moment she thought she saw disappointment in his eyes, but no, not disappointment. It was … sadness; the same sort of sadness that shown in her eyes.

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"So Yukito-kun finally came and paid you a visit, did he?" Hitomi glanced in the windows of the shops as they walked by but did not take the time to look very hard.

"Mmm, he said I could stop by any day this week and fill out a report." Sakura glanced in the windows as well, but quickly followed after her friend.

"Well, if you're going to have you picture taken, we should make sure you look your very best." Hitomi stopped and turned to Sakura. She ran her hand through the redhead's hair. "Maybe a trim or a style." She smiled.

Sakura stared expressionless at her friend for a moment. Slowly, a smile formed and she grabbed a lock of her hair, "or maybe I can have it colored and straightened."

Hitomi's eyes widened. "Colored?"

"Mmm, black, like yours, and straightened so it looks more, more Japanese; less foreign."

"But …" Hitomi knew this probably wasn't the best thing to do right before going to fill a missing person's report but seeing the excitement in Sakura's eyes, she couldn't turn her friend down. "Sure … okay." She considered her options for a moment, then asked, "Is Sushi-sama expecting you at any particular time today?"

"No, he said he had an appointment in Okinawa and he wouldn't be coming home till very late."

Hitomi smiled. "Perfect."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Mmm, we'll go to Okinawa too. The best salons are there."

Sakura's expression changed to one of mild concern. "Is that really necessary? I mean, Imai-san can do my hair, can't he?"

"Imai-san is a fine barber and he does a decent enough job on the older women of this island, but if you want to color and straighten your hair, you want to go to a real salon." Hitomi, checked her watch. "Come, we have just enough time to catch the 10:30 ferry."

They had to wait over an hour at the salon before they could see Sakura but the end result made the wait well worth it. While Sakura normally liked her wavy hair, she realized that if she was going to have it colored black, then this would be the perfect opportunity to make her hair look more like Hitomi's. She loved Hitomi's hair; she loved its natural jet black color; she loved how it shined all the time; she loved how razor straight it was; she loved everything about it. So she had her hair straightened. She had her bangs cut only to her eyebrows and combed to one side so only one eyebrow was hidden. And she had the rest of her hair cut so it lay just over the top of her breasts. The color they used was called, BlueBlack. It was a deep rich black which left hints of dark blue when the light hit it just right.

With her hair done, the makeup artist got to work. First, she started with Sakura's eyes. She added eyeliner and mascara which really made her eyes stand out. Then she applied a light foundation and added a little color to her cheeks. She finished things off by finding a lipstick that was just two shades darker than Sakura's natural lip color. Looking in the mirror, Sakura could hardly recognize who she saw looking back at her.

"Sakura, you look beautiful." Hitomi offered her a gracious smile. She was so glad she brought her friend here.

"You really think so, Onee-chan?" Sakura wanted to believe it. Looking at herself, she thought she looked good but she was not sure. "You really think I look good?" She stared at her reflection again. _I look so different._ She smiled at herself. _I like it._

"Absolutely!"

"You look lovely, my dear," said the makeup artist. "Boys will be falling all over themselves just to be near you. I guarantee it."

Sakura giggled. "Really?" _I wonder if Sushi-sama will like it._ She blinked her smile away. _Why did I just think that?_ She shook her head and her smile returned.

They returned to Akajimo and went to the police station together. Officer Yukito hardly recognized Sakura when he saw her and didn't put up any fuss when he took her picture or recorded in the report that Sakura had black hair. He was far too busy staring at her and finding all sorts of little excuses to touch her as often as he could.

Hitomi finally had enough when he insisted he needed to take Sakura's measurements for the report. "Yukito-bozu, you are an octopus." That made the officer shrink back and finish up the report on his own.

Walking through town making their way to Master Sushi's house, proved to be just as the makeup artist predicted. While everyone on the island had always been kind to her and took the time to say hello when they saw her, today was different. People, mostly men, stopped and actually talked to Sakura. They didn't just bow in greeting either. They reached out to shake her hand and usually held it a little longer than they should and stood a little closer to her than she was really comfortable with.

Hitomi could not help but smile. She had experienced this sort of behavior when she turned sixteen and her grandmother took her to the salon to give her a 'grown up look'. She knew it would pass in a few weeks. She also know that Sakura had nothing to really worry about. The men on this island knew how to conduct themselves properly and while they might indulge themselves with a little light flirtation, they would not do anything truly inappropriate. This she was sure of. And while Sakura seemed a bit overwhelmed by all of the attention, she also knew that in a few weeks, she would most likely miss it, just as she did, all those years ago, so she kept her mouth shut and just smiled each time she saw Sakura squirm just a little bit.

Along the way home, they met Imai, the barber, who informed them that Master Sushi had called from Okinawa and had asked him to let Sakura know that business would be keeping him there overnight and that she could cancel his morning class if she wanted.

Hitomi asked Sakura to spend the night at her place so she wouldn't be all alone, but Sakura assured her she would be all right and that she planned on holding the morning class anyway.

"Are you sure you won't changed your mind?" Hitomi asked one last time. "I … I could spend the night here if you like?"

Sakura smiled and shook her head. "It's all right, really. I'll be fine. Besides, your grandmother needs you."

"Well, all right, if you are sure."

"Don't worry about me. Thank you for everything." Sakura ran her fingers through her hair. "And say hello to Lady Himekawa-sama for me." She bowed and then waved goodbye.

Hitomi bowed and waved back before turning and heading home.

Sakura put a pot of water to boil to make herself some tea before going to bed. She went to the bathroom to change and wash her face. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she liked what she saw. Her hair was dark yet shiny and without a single hint for curl, just like she wanted it. She was a little hesitant about the makeup but the makeup artist really knew her stuff and managed to greatly enhance her features without looking over done. She remembered what the woman said about keeping her face clean to prevent blemishes so she washed her face thoroughly. While she waited for her face to dry, Sakura took a look around the house searching for a box. Eventually, she found one just the right size to put the skincare products and makeup Hitomi bought for her. She went back to the bathroom and finished taking care of her face before returning to the kitchen to finish making the tea.

Sakura sat out in the garden enjoying the gentle tropical breezes while staring up at the stars and sipping her tea. She looked down at her shoulder and smiled. She could not be happier with how her hair turned out, and she was very excited to see the reaction of her students tomorrow morning, but most of all she was anxious to see Master Sushi's reaction. Finishing her tea, Sakura closed up the house, washed the dishes and went to bed.

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Akane sat at the table in the washitsu and staring down at her tea.

"Akane, you're doing it again." Nabiki sounded more than a little annoyed.

"Doing what?" Akane responded defensively.

"It's only been a month since you got back. Give it some time. I'm sure we'll hear something about Ranma anytime now."

Akane huffed, and turned away. "It's not that. I'm just …" _Just what? _She had no answer for herself. "I'm going to my room." She got up and headed for the stairs. "Goodnight."

"But isn't only mid-day!" Nabiki called out, but Akane gave no reply.

Nabiki sighed. "When is that girl going to grow up and face her true feelings?" She raised her cup to her lips when suddenly she heard someone call out.

"Is anyone home? Anyone? Hello?"

Nabiki sighed in frustration. "Can't a girl get a moment's peace?" She got up and headed for the door. "Can I help you? Oh, officer."

A young, tall, handsome man in a police uniform stood in the entryway. "Tendo-san, I presume?"

Nabiki folded her hands behind her back and batted her eyes. "Well, one of them, anyway. How can I help you officer?" She giggled in a manner not often if ever heard from Nabiki.

The officer smiled. "My name is Kamo Serizawa. I'm new on the force here in town." He continued to smile at the young vision before him.

Nabiki grew tired of waiting for him to continue. "And?"

"Oh! Sorry. Yes, my sergeant asked me to bring these by." He held up a large envelope. "I understand you've had a family member go missing recently. Well, we've been receiving a number of notices from all over the western part of the country with reports of recently found people."

Nabiki immediately dropped the flirtatious act and snatched the envelope out of the officer's hand and ran down the wall.

"Tendo-san!" The officer called out, kicking off his shoes and running down the all after her.

Nabiki stopped at the bottom of the stairs and called out. "Akane, come here quick! It's important!" Then she sat at the table in the washitsu and started to open the envelope.

The officer came up behind her and placed his hand firmly over hers. "Tendo-san, please. I must warn you. Some of the photos are … well, they are quite disturbing. You want to take a moment to prepare yourself for them.

"What is it now, Nabiki?" Akane asked from the doorway.

Nabiki turned and held up the envelope. "This keisatsukan brought over photos of people found along the west coast."

Akane was at the table next to her sister in an instant.

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The officer took a step further away from the table as Kasumi and Tofu showed up and joined the rest of the family including Genma and Nodoka in looking at the pictures. The terrifying thing was the more than half of the pictures were of people who had washed up on shore, dead. While some of the pictures sort of looked like Ranma it was easy enough after studying the photos for a minute to determine that they were not him.

Akane was handed a picture by her sister. It was of a girl with straight black hair, long luscious eyelashes and perfectly tanned skin. At first glance, Akane was about to put the picture down on the, 'not Ranma' pile but something about the girl caught her attention and she gave it a second look, a hard, long look.

"Say, what about this one? Don't you think this could be Ranma?" He held the picture up for everyone to see.

"Her hair is black." Nabiki said first then went back to looking at the other photos.

Kasumi followed with, "and very straight. Ranma's hair is wavy, almost curly."

Akane frowned. "Yeah, but he could have had her hair done."

After studying the picture a moment longer, Tofu added, "But her eyes are larger than Ranma's. You can't change the size of your eyes like you can the style of your hair."

Akane looked at the picture again, "He's wearing makeup. Applied correctly, makeup can make you look like you have bigger eyes than you really do. But take a good look at his eyes. Aren't those Ranma's eyes?"

"May I dear?" Nodoka held out her hand and Akane passed her the picture. Ranma's mother studied the picture for a long time, tilting her head from one side to the other. Could this pretty girl really be her son? There were some similarities but there seemed to be more differences. Like Tofu said, her eyes looked bigger, and her lips looked fuller as well. Her check bones seemed higher and her eyebrows appeared thinner. But all of that could have been from the makeup, like Akane said. So she studied his eyes. If it was Ranma, it would be in his eyes. She stared into the girl's eyes for a long time before finally shaking her head. "I don't know, I just don't know."

Her husband took the picture from her and looked it over as well. "Where was this girl found?"

Nabiki, who had been keeping track of the files on each photo, pulled the right one out. "In Akajimo, in Okinawa Prefecture."

Genma shook his head. "Impossible. This can't be Ranma. There is no way he could have gotten all the way down to Okinawa. He tossed the photo on the table and went back to looking at the other photos.

Nabiki walked Officer Kamo Serizawa to the door. "Thank you for bringing those files over. Even though none of the pictures turned out to be Ranma, I think just having something to look at gave everyone some hope, especially his mother and his fiancée, Akane. Is it really all right that we hold onto that one file?"

Kamo smiled. "It's not a problem. No one else in our district has reported a missing person so the rest of these will probably be thrown out anyway. I'll be sure to bring by more as soon as we get more in."

"Nabiki smiled back. "That's very nice of you, Keisatsukan Serizawa-san."

"Please, call me Kamo. I insist." He blushed lightly.

"A-all right, Kamo-kun." Nabiki's cheeks turned a pale rose.

Kamo's smile grew. "Well, I'm sure I'll see you again very soon." He bowed and turned towards the door but hesitated for just a moment. Then he turned back around and asked, "Nabiki-chan, would you go out to dinner with me this Friday?"

Nabiki smiled. "Oh, you're so sweet, but I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" Kamo looked confused. He thought he had read all the signs correctly. She seemed interested in him. Before Nabiki could answer, he followed with, "If it's because you can't be out too late, I can have my family's limousine pick you up at six-thirty and I can meet you at the country club by seven."

Nabiki batter her eyes. "Limousine? Country club?"

Kamo bowed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound all uppity or anything."

"No, that's all right, but tell me, how can a young police officer afford a limousine and a membership to a country club?" Nabiki asked without sounding desperate or over anxious.

"Well, they actually belong to my family. You see, both my parents are high priced attorneys." He explained. "They run one of the largest firms in Tokyo."

"And they accept you wanting to be a constable instead of a lawyer?"

"Actually, it was their idea. They thought it would be good training to learn about the law from the prospective of those whose job it is to enforce the law."

"So you'll be going to law school after being on the force for a few years?"

"Oh no. I already graduated from law school. I just have to take the bar exam. But I'll work as an officer for a couple of years then join my parents at their firm." He smiled innocently.

Nabiki returned a not so innocent smile. "Well, since you'll be able to send your car for me, I guess we wouldn't be out too late. My father does worry so."

"Okay, I'll see you Friday, if not sooner with more files, that is." He chuckled.

Nabiki gave a girlish giggle. "All right, Friday then." She battered her eyes and gave him a finger wave.

Kamo's smile grew and he waved over-enthusiastically as he backed into the door. "Ugh! I- the door ..." He blushed, then slid the door open and stepped out closing the door behind him but not before waving one last time to Nabiki.

Nabiki stood listening a moment longer, smiling to herself as she overheard the young officer give a happy shout and jump up and down along the path, and stumble and fall with a loud thud. She laughed silently and returned to the washitsu. "Well, he said he'll come by again when he gets more reports." She sat down next to Akane. "Are you still looking at that picture? Akane, that's not Ranma. It doesn't even look like Ranma. Besides, there's no way he could have ended up that far south. Not with the storm pushing him north."

Kasumi chimed in. "Nabiki is right, Akane. You shouldn't get fixated on someone who could not possibly be Ranma."

Akane shook her head. "But look at her eyes. I'm telling you, those are Ranma's eyes. I know it, I just know it."

"Even Saotome-obasama said it didn't look like Ranma." Nabiki pointed out. "I think she should know her own son better than you, Akane."

"Maybe not."

"Huh?"

"Remember, Saotome-sama took Ranma away from her when Ranma was just two. Ranma or at least the Ranma we're looking for has lived with us longer than he has with his mom. And don't forget I'm with him six days a week at school. I think I'm a little more familiar with Ranma's appearance than anyone else."

A look of skepticism appeared in Nabiki's eyes. "Or maybe you're just looking for any reason, any possibility that would make you believe that Ranma's still-"

"Still what!" Akane spring up and hovered over his sister with her fists clenched.

Nabiki looked away. "I'm just saying, maybe you want this girl to be Ranma too much. More for your own sake than for Ranma's"

Akane snatched the picture off the table and pointed at it. "I'm not saying this is Ranma, I'm just saying this could be. Am I wrong for not wanting to dismiss it so quickly?"

Nabiki waver her off, "Fine, whatever. If you feel that strongly about it …" she grabbed the file. "Call and ask them to question the girl." She scanned the file. "It says here that she suffers from amnesia and currently goes by the name of Sakura." She held the file up for Akane to take. "Give them some info on Ranma and see if it jars her memory."

Akane took the file. "I will." She stared at it, reading it slowly. This girl, Sakura washed up on Akajimo the day after Mr. Saotome washed up on shore. Could Ranma have really traveled that far south against the direction of the typhoon in that short a time? The file said her hair was black. If she had just colored her hair wouldn't it say her hair color was actually red? It said she was between 18 and 19 years old. Looking back at the picture, Akane had to admit, the girl looked every bit of 18 at least. Looking down at Nabiki, she had to admit she looked older than her sister. Was it just the makeup that made her appear more mature?

"Well, I thought you were going to call," Nabiki teased.

Akane straightened up and tensed her shoulders. "I am! I will." She looked at her watch. "It's probably too late now. I'll call tomorrow morning." She turned and walked away.

Nabiki rested her chin on her palm. "Whatever makes you happy."

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A week had passed and Akane had still not called the police station in Akajimo. The more she read the file, the less she was convince the girl was Ranma, but the more she stared at the picture the more certain she became that it was indeed him. It got to the point where she wrote the police station phone number of the back of the picture and threw the file away so as not to be reminded of all of the dissimilarities between this girl and Ranma.

Long ago it was believed by some that a photo could steal the soul of a person, and that soul was then locked away in the eyes of the person in the picture. In Japanese history, there were several notable dignitaries who it is said believed in this myth. For this reason, their pictures were never taken even though cameras were readily available at the time. Akane lay in bed holding the picture inches from her face, staring into the eyes of the girl, searching for Ranma's soul. _Speak to me, Ranma. I know it's you. I know it. Speak to me. Call me a thick waist macho chick. I don't care. Just let me know I'm not dreaming, that I'm not going insane … that … my last words to you were … were I hate you. _A tear escaped from the corner of Akane's eye. "Please Ranma, speak to me."

She remained staring at the picture through half the night. Late the next morning, she slowly made her way down stairs and to the phone. Turning the picture around she dialed the number and waited.

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Officer Yukito had been anticipating this day for months. On so many American movies he was so fond of seeing, it seemed that a police officer was not truly a police officer until he ate a doughnut. And not just any doughnut but a jelly filled doughnut. There was no place on Akajimo that sold doughnuts and even on the main island of Okinawa, they were next to impossible to fine, and never the jelly filled variety. Yukito had to place a special order for them and even then, only four were sent and only one of those was a jelly filled. Now, sitting at his desk, Yukito methodically laid a napkin, carefully positioned his tea and diligently placed the precious confection in the middle of the napkin. This was a once in a lifetime treat and Yukito was going to savor every delicious moment of it. He thought of cutting the in pieces and eating it with chopsticks, but then he wouldn't be like all those officers he saw in all those movies. No, this called for barehanded action.

He got up and washed his hands for the third time before sitting before his luxurious breakfast. He would sit back and bring it to his mouth and savor ever delicious bite, and do it without spilling any of the jelly on himself like those incompetent officers in those silly comedies he would watch once in a while. Picking up the tasty treat, he held it under his nose for a moment and breathed in its sugary goodness. Then he opened his mouth wide and took a big bite.

**BRRRIIIING!** Just then the phone rang, but nothing was going to stop him from enjoying this special moment. He savored the mixture of soft doughy goodness along with the smooth sweetness of the jelly as the phone rang on. Finally, the ringing stopped and he was able to enjoy his meal in peace. Yukito took a sip of his tea, then raised the pastry to his mouth once again. As he bit down once again, the phone began its incessant ringing again.

Yukito moaned in frustration and reached for the phone without putting the doughnut down. "Poleesh, how ca I hep ou?"

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Akane pulled the receiver away from her ear and stared at it for a moment, before returning it to her ear again. "What was that?"

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Yukito swallowed hard. "Police, how can I help you?"

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"Oh, ah, this is the Akajimo police correct, in Okinawa Prefecture?" Akane asked.

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"The one and only." Yukito stared at the remains of the doughnut in his hand and the big glob of jelly resting in the middle of it and licked his lips.

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"Yes, I'm calling about the report of the girl who was found washed up on your island a few months ago."

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All thought of his sweet treat vanished from his mind. "Sakura! You know Sakura-chan?"

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Akane was taken aback by the officer's apparent change in attitude. "Well, I don't know if this is the same person, but we have a friend who has gone missing and we think she might be her."

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"Well, if you give me some information about your friend then I can see if see if any of this matches with Sakura-chan."

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"Oh-oh right. Okay, well, my friend's name is Ranma Saotome. He – I mean she's a student of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. She has red hair and normally wears it in a pigtail. Her mother's name is Nodoka and her father's name is Genma. She lives in Tokyo at the Tendo Dojo. Oh, and if you splash her with hot water she turns into a boy."

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"What?"

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Akane pressed her hand to her forehead. "I know it sounds crazy but it's true."

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"Is this some kind of prank? Sasashi-san, is that you? Is this your idea of a joke?"

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"No! Seriously, it happens, I swear! Just try it." Akane gave Yukito her name and number and asked him to call her back after he shook with the girl.

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"Yeah, yeah. Fine, I'll call." Yukito hung up the phone. "Ridiculous. Though …" He scratched his chin, "Didn't Sakura-chan have red hair the first time I saw her?" He tried to remember. "No, it must be my imagination."

He reached for the remainder of his doughnut. He smiled, ready to enjoy the rest of his treat, but looking down at it, he noticed the glob of jelly was no longer present. "What the …" He looked at the napkin but it wasn't there. "No, don't tell me." He looked down at himself. Sure enough there was a streak of jelly running down his shirt and ending on his pants. "Damnit! Damn that girl and her stupid phone call! Turn into a boy, right. Like I'm some kind of an idiot to fall for that on."

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To Be Continued …


	8. Chapter 8: Ryoga's Promise

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

Author's Notes: I'm so very sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out. It has been another busy month for me and to tell you the truth, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to post this, this weekend either. Fortunately, I got up early this Sunday and finished it off. I have to say, I am a bit overwhelmed to see just how many people are following this story. It is very exciting to see that not only hundreds of reader here in the USA are following this story, but readers from all over the world. I have heard from some of you and it really excites me when I do. I'd love to hear from more of you. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I look forward to reading your thoughts about it.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 8: Ryoga's Promise

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The young man with the rugged appearance stood in front of the Tendo estate. His brow was covered in salt stains and sweat from months of walking over some of the roughest terrain in Japan. His shoes showed wear upon them as well. His shoulders and back ached from carrying around his backpack for so very long. But now, he was where he wanted to be. The one place he always felt welcome.

"Akane-san, I know I have no right any longer to hope that we might be something more than friends, but still. How I longed to see you once again." Ryoga Hibiki swooned. "Even if it is only as your pet pig and even if it means being bullied by that cretin, Ranma." He sighed then walked through the front gate.

Ryoga entered the main door of the house and called out, "Hello, is anyone home?"

In the washitsu, everyone turned at the sound of the young man's voice.

Nodoka responded first. "Could that be … Ranma?" She began to stand up.

"Hello!"

"No, that's Ryoga!" Akane sprang up and rushed to the entryway. "Ryoga-kun? Ryoga-kun! It is you!"

"Akane-san, it is good to-" Ryoga went speechless the moment Akane wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. _I must be dreaming. Oh, but if it is a dream let me never wake up, ever._

Feeling his rigid posture, Akane quickly released him and bowed. "I'm sorry, Ryoga-kun. I don't know what came over me." She straightened up and smiled. Her face showed a hint of redness to it. "It is so good to see you again. There is so much I need to tell you. Please come in."

Akane lead the way to the washitsu where Ryoga was greeted by the rest of the family. He sat down and joined them for dinner. Everyone remained relatively silent, allowing Ryoga to enjoy his meal. However, in the middle of the meal, it finally dawned on him. While Ranma was absent (Ryoga assumed he had gone on a training journey), Ranma's father was still here. He knew that unlike himself, Ranma rarely ever went on training journeys by himself. "Uh, excuse me for being so forward but where is Ranma?"

No one knew who should respond first. Finally, Nabiki replied, "Where indeed."

"Uh?"

"Ryoga-kun." Akane looked down at her lap. "You see, Ranma is missing."

"Missing?"

Akane looked around the room and saw that everyone was looking at her. She sighed and nodded.

Soun was the first to get up. "Well, look what time it is, I'm going to be late to the community meeting."

Genma rose as well. "I'll accompany you Tendo-kun."

Nodoka began gathering up the dishes. "Nabiki-chan, will you help me with the dishes?"

Nabiki sat shifting her gaze from Ryoga to Akane.

"Nabiki-chan?"

"Oh, right." She picked up her plates and Ryoga's was well, even though he was not done eating.

Ryoga gave Akane a puzzled look. "Akane-san, what's going on?"

Akane explained everything to Ryoga; how Ranma got caught in the typhoon, how she and the others went looking for him but had no luck finding him, and how the police had been dropping off reports of people found along the west coast of Japan. Finally, Akane pulled out the photo she had been holding onto. The edges were all wrinkled and warn from handling. She passed the picture over to Ryoga.

"I know the girl in the picture doesn't look much like Ranma, but something inside me is telling me that this is him. I called the police on Akajimo Island and gave them some information on Ranma, but they haven't called back. I think," she looked away. "I think they thought I was just a prank caller when I told them to splash hot water on her."

Ryoga stared at the picture for a long time. Akane was right, the girl in the picture did not look much like Ranma. In fact, if Ryoga was to be honest with himself, he'd have to say that the girl did not look anything like Ranma, but how many times did Ranma fool him with a wig, glasses, and a little makeup. "What does the rest of your family think?"

Akane looked down at her lap. "They don't believe it is Ranma." She looked up abruptly. "But we won't know for sure unless we try and contact her, right?"

Ryoga could not help but be moved by Akane's single-minded determination. What a dilemma this posed for Ranma's rival. On the one hand, this was the perfect opportunity for him. Ranma was out of the picture and Ryoga was here with Akane. On the other hand, Ryoga could plainly see that without knowing for sure, what had become of Ranma, Akane would not allow herself to move forward. Besides, was this how he wanted to win over Akane's heart? And what about Akari?

Ryoga sighed. "Where did you say this girl is?"

Akane smiled. "On Akajimo Island, it's the southern most island in Okinawa Prefecture."

Ryoga stared long and hard at the picture then turned to Akane and said, "I swear to you Akane-san. On my word as a martial artist and as a man, I will find this girl and learn the truth about her. And if she is Ranma, than I shall bring him home to you. This I promise."

Akane's eyes began to water but she blinked away the tears and offered Ryoga a gracious smile instead. "Ryoga-kun, I can't thank you enough."

Ryoga stayed the night at the Tendo household. He bathed and washed his clothes, before going to sleep. In the morning, Nodoka, with a little help from Akane, prepared supplies for Ryoga's journey. Nabiki did her part by selling off some of Ryoga's camping gear and buying him a detailed map of Japan and charted his path to Akajimo.

Everyone was at the gate to see Ryoga off. While everyone, except Akane, was skeptical about the idea of the girl in the picture being Ranma, they couldn't help but be a little enthusiastic about seeing Ryoga take on this journey.

"I promise you, Akane-san. If his girl is Ranma, I, Ryoga Hibiki will bring him home." Ryoga solemnly pressed his fist to his chest.

"Thank you, Ryoga-kun. I believe you will. I believe in you." Akane smiled and bowed.

Those simple words filled Ryoga with pride and confidence. "Farewell everyone, I will return in a couple of weeks." He turned and headed off down the street.

Everyone stood and watched until Ryoga turned the corner and was out of sight. Only Akane and Nabiki remained at the gate.

"I know Ryoga-kun will find Ranma. I just know it." For the first time in months, Akane had a true sense of hope that Ranma would be found and be back home shortly.

Nabiki folded her arms and allowed her usual look of skepticism to play across her face. "Well, maybe, but something tells me you're going to be waiting a lot longer than just a couple weeks to find out."

Akane looked over at her sister. "What makes you say that?"

"Because, Ryoga-kun already started out in the wrong direction." She turned and went back in the house.

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"Hello! Hitomi-oneechan!" Sakura closed the door behind her and slipped off her shoes. "Onee-chan, are you home?"

"Over here, Sakura-chan." A voice came from down the hall.

Sakura followed it to a study filled with books. "Lady Himekawa-sama." She bowed low. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Sakura-chan." The elderly woman looked up from her book. "It's been a while since I saw you last.

"I'm sorry, Lady Himekawa-sama. I've been so busy helping Sushi-sama with his classes and with my own training that I just haven't been able to get away." Sakura bowed low.

"So, Ueda-bozu has you teaching his classes now, does he?" Lady Himekawa frowned critically.

"No!" Sakura shook her hands frantically. "It's not like that at all. I just help demonstrate some of the forms to the class. Hinomoto-sama, who teaches the older students has more than he can handle now that two of his teachers have moved away, so he needed Sushi-sama to take back some of his students. That's why I'm helping out."

Sakura smiled. "And I don't mind at all. I can use all the training I can get." With the issue of Sakura's recent absence resolved as far as she was concerned, she turned slowly around and marveled at the vast collection of books in this relatively small room. All the walls were lined in bookshelves and every piece of furniture had stacks of books on them. "Whew! This is amazing. Have you read all of these books, Lady Himekawa-sama?"

The elderly woman smiled. "No, but most. Some of these books are Hitomi-chan's." she pointed to one of the bookshelves which was filled with books on anatomy, acupuncture, and herbology. "Some I simply have not gotten around to reading yet." She held up the book in her hand. "Do you enjoy reading, Sakura-chan?"

"Well, I don't really know. I've only read one book since I came to this island, The Book of Five Rings."

Lady Himekawa groaned. "That can hardly be called literature." The elderly woman grabbed her cane and stood up. She walked over the shelf in the far corner of the room and began searching for a particular book. "Here it is." She pulled it out and tucked it under her arm, than walked back to her chair. "Here, I'm sure you will enjoy this."

Sakura took the book from her and looked at the title. "Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, translated by Kenkyūsha Publishers."

"It is actually a play rather than a novel but it is the greatest love story ever written. It is my opinion that every young woman should have to read this story before they reach twenty." Lady Himekawa sat back down. "Hitomi loved reading it. She must have read it over thirty times.

Sakura smiled. "Really?" She leaned over and gave the elderly woman a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Lady Himekawa-sama. I'll take very good care of it. I promise."

The woman smiled.

"Speaking of Onee-chan, where is she? We were suppose to go to the grocery store today. She was going to show me how to make ashitibichi."

Lady Himekawa felt a tremor rattle through her body. "Augh! How can you stand to eat pig's feet with mustard cabbage?"

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. We ate it in Okinawa and I thought it was delicious. And apparently, Sushi-sama likes it as well."

The elderly woman gave the teen a sideways look. "Really?"

"Mmm," she nodded.

Lady Himekawa studied Sakura's expression a moment longer. "Hitomi had to make a house call, but that was over an hour ago. She should be home very soon."

No sooner did these words pass the woman's lips that they heard a voice call out. "I'm home!"

"See." Lady Himekawa smiled.

Sakura giggled then ran down the hall to greet her friend.

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Nabiki was trying on different dresses looking for the perfect outfit for her date that night with Kamo Serizawa. "What do you think of this one?" She turned from side to side.

Akane looked up from her magazine. "You look great." She returned to the article she was reading. "You always do."

"Or maybe the red one." She pulled out the form fitting dress with the scooped back.

Akane stood up and folded back the article she was reading to show Nabiki. "Look …" Nabiki skimmed the article. "So?"

"Soo! It says a couple that was just a few kilometers off shore from Fukuoka ended up in Hong Kong because of the last typhoon. Don't you see? It's possible. Ranma could have made it to Akajimo." Akane insisted.

Nabiki took the magazine and scanned the story again. "It says they were in a water tight sailboat. They sealed themselves in and waited out the storm." She tossed the periodical on the bed. "Ranma was swimming. Swimming, Akane. That's a big difference, even for Ranma."

Akane sat back on the bed and went back to the article. "I'm just saying, it's possible. That's all."

"Okay, fine. It's possible. Now will you help me pick out a dress for my date tonight?"

Akane looked at the article once again, "I guess we'll know for sure soon enough, once Ryoga gets to Akajimo and meets the girl."

Nabiki laughed. "Given Ryoga's sense of direction, that could take months."

"He's not that bad. I mean, it's only been three weeks and he's already at Okinawa." Akane assured.

"Yeah, and didn't he say the noise in the background was bears growling?" Nabiki asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, last I checked, there are no bears in Okinawa, Akane."

Akane's blood boiled. She hated it when her sister was right and this time was no exception. The best thing for her temper now was to change the subject, because fighting with Nabiki was always a losing battle. "This is so not like you, Onee-chan. This is what, your fifth date with this guy?"

"Fouth." Nabiki put the red dress back and pulled out a deep maroon one.

"Still, you never date the same guy twice. What makes this guy so special?" Akane sat back down.

"He is special. He's considerate, and funny, and very, very rich. Did you know he never checks the price of things before he pays?" She changed and looked in the mirror. "What do you think about this one?"

"Akane-chan! Nabiki-chan! Can you come down here please?" Nodoka Saotome's voice echoed through the hall.

"Hmm, I wonder that it could be?" Akane started towards the door. "Aren't you coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute, I just need to change."

"Okay." Akane left her sister's room and headed down the stairs.

Nabiki walked into the washitsu to find her whole family assembled around the table along with Ranma's parents. Officer Serizawa was standing next to the police chief for their district. He was holding a manila envelope.

"Kamo-kun? What brings you here so early? Our date isn't until tonight." Nabiki gave him a teasing smile.

Akane grabbed her sister's hand and whispered, "Onee-chan, sit down."

Nabiki looked around the table and saw the serious expression on everyone's faces. She sat down and waited to find out what was going on.

The police chief cleared his throat. "I know that Officer Serizawa has been assisting you in the case of the missing person, Ranma Saotome, however, given the information you've given us about him and the report in this envelope. I felt I should handle this personally." He opened the envelope and pulled out the report. He separated the photos from the rest of the report and set the paperwork down on the table.

Nodoka and Genma looked at it first. It was a death certificate followed by an autopsy report.

"Oh my god." Nodoka pressed her hands over her mouth.

"Does the information in the report match your son's statistics?" the police chief asked.

They looked over the report: height, weight, hair color, body frame, estimated weight, blood type; all matched.

"Yes, it does appear to." Genma answered. "But I'm sure there are many young men with these dimensions and blood type? Show us a picture so we can see if it is him or not."

The chief nodded grimly. "I have photos but I have to warn you, the coroner said the body had most likely been floating in the sea for months and had fallen under attack by countless small sea creatures. It's not a pleasant sight." He waited and specifically looked towards the women at the table.

Nodoka drew in a deep breath. "Please, Officer. Show us the pictures."

He nodded and set them down. Soun Tendo was the first to pass out. Nodoka wavered and Genma grabbed hold of her and set her down gently. Kasumi got up and ran to the bathroom. The normally cynical Nabiki looked away, taking several deep breaths to steady her nerves. Only Akane did not flinch.

A few moments later, Kasumi came back in the room and knelt down behind her little sister. "Akane-chan, this must be a horrible shock for you."

Akane stared at the photos a few seconds longer before shaking her head. "No, it's not. It's not a shock, because that is not Ranma."

Nabiki sighed. "Akane, you can't deny that looks like Ranma."

"How can you say that, Nabiki? The man in these pictures … his face is practically eaten away, so is most of his body and what's left is all blotted and decayed. I challenge anyone to identify this person." Akane insisted.

Serizawa stepped forward. "If we had dental records, we could make a positive identification, one way, or the other."

The Tendo girls look at Genma who was gently tapping his wife's hand in a half-hearted effort to wake her up. Feeling the power of their collective gaze, he looked up. "We were in training. We didn't have time to see a dentist."

All three girls sighed in discussed.

"What about DNA testing?" Nabiki asked.

The police chief shook his head. "The body is so contaminated from salt water and all forms of micro-organisms that the coroner said it was nearly impossible to get a recognizable human sample from it."

"Than we don't know, do we?" Akane stated.

"Akane-chan, be reasonable." Kasumi stroked her shoulders.

"Admit it, Akane. Under any other circumstances, you'd agree that this was a picture of Ranma." Nabiki held one of the pictures close to her sister's face.

Soun finally recovered and looked at the pictures again. "Oh, Ranma, my boy!" Then he passed out again.

"Why do you all want it to be Ranma so badly? It's like you don't care if he's alive anymore. You just want to bury him and be done." Akane crossed her arms and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Akane-chan," Genma said in a deep, caring voice. "Believe me when I say, I don't want the person in these pictures to be my son. Despite everything, I love my boy." He picked up one of the photos. "But I cannot deny that this bears a strong resemblance to Ranma's back," he grabbed another photo, "and his legs," and another photo, "and his chest." He set the pictures down and took off his glasses to wipe his eyes. "Put it all together and I have to say, it must be Ranma."

Akane relaxed her posture and stood up. "I'm sorry, Saotome-sama, but that is not your son. That is not Ranma." She turned and went up to her room.

The chief looked over at his junior officer who shrugged.

Genma stood up and bowed to the chief. "Thank you, Police Chief. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to come out here personally to deliver the news. What must we do to have the body transported here?"

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Master Sushi and Sakura stood upon a deserted rocky shoreline where waves lapped against stones gently. The sun was just beginning to creep above the distant horizon.

"Whew! I never imagined the sunrise could be so beautiful." Sakura marveled at the sight.

"Yes, it is magnificent, isn't it?"

"Mmm," Sakura nodded, then she looked around for a moment. "Why isn't there anyone else here?"

"Our little island is known for its soft white sandy beaches. Here, the rocks continue out even under the water, making it too dangerous to swim. But I agree. You would think some would come simply to enjoy the sunrise."

They stood there admiring nature's daily show for a few more minutes until the sun had fully cleared the horizon. With Sakura's help, Master Sushi sat down along the rocky edge overlooking the sea.

"All right, now to begin your training. Sakura-chan, you've practiced enough with the pond at home. Now it is time to use what you have learned on a larger scale."

The girl nodded as the seriousness of the moment filled her. This was what she had been training for these past months. She managed to move the water around in the pond by focusing her ki, now she was time to do it for real.

"Let's start out simple. Just try to push and pull the water." Master Sushi instructed.

"Right." Sakura assumed her stance. She took a moment to concentrate her ki in her core. Working through the form Master Sushi had taught her, slowly a small section of the water begin to move back and forth against the flow of the waves. Gradually, the area moving in rhythm with Sakura's motions began to grow. Within minutes all the water in this part of the island was in harmony with her ki.

She continued this for several more minutes. Master Sushi was very pleased and moved her on to other more complicated exercises. Sakura spent hours training and it seemed the more difficult the exercise the better she got. Master Sushi marveled at her incredible progress. It had taken him months to accomplish what Sakura was now doing, and she had only started her elemental training two weeks ago. Master Sushi smiled to himself. _You truly are a prodigy, aren't you Sakura. Truly a bud ready to bloom, big and beautiful._

Training was exhaustive work and Master Sushi insisted Sakura take a nap upon their return. She protested but fell asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.

Master Sushi gently brushed a few strands of hair from the girls face. "You should be so very proud of yourself, Sakura-chan. I know I am." He smiled then stood up and headed to the kitchen to get started on lunch.

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The urn holding the remains of what everyone believed (except Akane) to be the remains of Ranma Saotome arrived at the Tendo household early Sunday morning. Soun helped Genma build a small shrine for the ashes and Soun insisted that they place it next to the shrine of his dearly departed wife. Nodoka placed a picture of Ranma in the shrine along with a small sunflower and some incense.

In the days to come, the room would be filled with many mourners, both friends and rivals alike; coming to pay their respects to one of the greatest young martial artists of their time. Today was for the family. All were dressed in black and they knelt near the shire and offered up their prayers to Kami-sama and Buddha alike. Akane was the only one who did not believe the remains of Ranma rested in the porcelain urn but out of respect to Nodoka Saotome she too wore black and knelt in silent prayer. Her prayers were not for a safe journey for Ranma to the afterlife, but for Ranma's safe return home.

After receiving visitors over the next three days, Nodoka could no longer take the constant reminder of how very much her son was loved and respected by the steady stream of well-wishers. On the fourth day, she refused to come out of her room, choosing to sit solemnly on the floor and look through a small photo album she had put together only recently. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the pictures she had taken, not only of her son, but of him and his fiancée together. They did not look very happy together in most of the picture, but nothing could convince her that Ranma and Akane were not deeply in love with each other. She missed her son greatly, but more than that she missed the idea of never seeing Ranma and Akane getting married and having their own family together, of never holding her grandchildren in her arms and telling them stories of what a great martial artist and good man their father was, of seeing her son mature to full manhood and still being her little boy. She clutched the photo album to her chest and wept bitterly.

Genma lasted a little longer than his wife. By the sixth day, he announced he was off on the training journey. He would head up to the mountains to train and he made it very clear that this may be the last time anyone would see him again. On her way to the market the next day, Akane overheard a familiar voice sounding loud and obnoxious inside a local bar. She peeked in and saw Genma sitting at the bar and drinking himself stupid while rambling on in an incoherent manner.

She stepped in and went straight for him. The bartender, who was doing his best to ignore the drunken fool snapped at her. "Sorry miss, you have to be eighteen to come in here."

"Yes, but I need to get my father." She said, not wanting to have to give a long explanation.

Genma looked over. "Thatssh righ! Thissh ish my dauuugher-innnn-law. Ishn thaaa righ, Akannnne?"

"That's right, Saotome-sama. Now come on. Let's go home. Everyone is waiting for you there." She took his arm and helped him off the stool.

"Effry onne?" He offered no resistance.

"Yes, my father and my sister, and your wife, Saotome-obasama."

"Ann Ramma?" he asked with pleading eyes and a faint smile.

She wanted to say yes, she wanted to tell him Ranma was home and waiting for him, but she could not lie to him. "No, not Ranma, not yet, but he will be home soon. I just know it."

The look on Genma's face changed. It turned dark and empty. "No, Ranma isn't coming home. Not now, not ever." He turned and sat back down. "And neiffer haaam I."

"Saotome-sama …" Akane pleaded.

"You shee thish rovery gir?" Genma pointed at her. "Ishn shee jush da cuutish thiinn? My iidgeeoot shon wush ingage wif hrrr. Hee diddn deserf herr."

"Saotome-sama …" Akane pleaded yet again.

He turned towards her. "I'm shorry Akanee. Why diddn Ramma luff ou? Iff hee jush luffd ou theen I wound haff takn im on dish shtupiid trainin an nonn off dish woud haf happn." Tears ran down his face. "Why coudn he jush loff ou? Ou shtupid boy. Why?"

"Saotome-sama." Tears welled up in Akane's eyes. Was that the reason they went on this journey, to make Ranma miss her? Was this just another effort on their parents part to get her and Ranma to fall in love and marry? Was Ranma missing because too proud and stubborn to act like the kind of girl Ranma could fall for? Was it all her fault? If she had let her softer side show through, would they have fallen in love and married, like everyone seemed to want them to do? Then would Ranma be here now, instead of missing, instead of … The tears began to fall down her cheeks and she rushed out of the bar.

_No! It's not my fault. Why should I have to be someone I'm not? You can't blame me for this. It's not my fault. _Akane ran to a deserted part of the park and sat crying on a bench. "Ranma's not dead. That is not Ranma in that urn. I would know if Ranma were dead. I would know … I would know …"

.

.

Sakura was unusually happy this day as she washed herself with lukewarm water in the Himekawa's bathroom. Hitomi, sat back in the tub and let all the tension of the week escape out her pours. She let out a satisfied sigh.

Sakura giggled as she washed her hair.

"What's so funny, Sakura-chan?"

The girl giggled again and then rinsed her hair. "Oh, you'll seeeeee."

Hitomi gave her a questioning look but wasn't so curious as to press the issue. She lay back and let the hot water wash over her soul.

Having thoroughly washed herself, Sakura rang out her hair then got up and stood next to the bathtub.

It took a moment for Hitomi to realize what Sakura was about to do. "Sakura-chan! You're not getting in the water are you?"

Sakura nodded, "Mmm-Hmm."

Hitomi straightened up fully. "But you know what will happen!"

Sakura smiled, "Just watch." She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Then she performed an abbreviated form and stepped into the hot water. The water came just above her knees. She took another deep breath and sat down slowly.

Hitomi watch on in amazement. "How did you do that?"

Sakura smiled. "I've mastered water."

"You mean Sushi-sama's elemental training?"

"Mmm. I'm able to keep the water that is right next to my body barely lukewarm, as long as I keep my concentration." Sakura explained.

Hitomi raised a questioning eyebrow. "It doesn't look like you're concentrating that hard."

Sakura giggled. "It's actually pretty easy for me to keep my concentration."

"So can you feel that hot water at all?"

"Mmmm-mno, not really. Well, sort of. I kind of feel it, it just doesn't feel like it is right next to me. That's all. I'm sure it's not as pleasant feeling as it is for you, but at least this way we can bathe together and I won't change."

Hitomi shook her head and smiled. "You are truly amazing, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled. "What until I learn to do this without having to do the outward form at all."

"You can do that?"

"Not yet, but I will soon enough."

The two women smiled. They spent the next hour talking and laughing together.

.

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To Be Continued...


	9. Chapter 9: Sakura's Pride and Shame

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job.

Author's Notes: Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out. I recently lost my job but fortunately found another just a week later. I was spending every spare moment looking for work since there was no way I could afford to be out of work any length of time. I was lucky in that the SW Manager at my last job was looking for a tester, so it was perfect for me. Work has been very busy but I'm happy. Somehow I will find the time to continue this story. I simply ask that you continue to be patient with me. Thanks.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 9: Sakura's Pride and Shame

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Shampoo sat alone in a corner of the Cat Café. She twirled around a flower between her fingers; stopping every so often to give it a whiff then twirling it again. She wiped a stray tear from her eye without missing a beat.

"Mousse, ramen with shrimp, order up." Cologne called out.

Mousse came to the server's window to pick up the order. He stopped long enough to steal a look over at Shampoo.

"She has not moved from that spot all day." Cologne informed him.

"I know. She's been sitting at that table all week. Poor Shampoo." Mousse shook his head. "For so long I had wished that Ranma Saotome would just go away and be out of Shampoo's life forever. Now that it has happened, it is nothing like I had hoped it would be."

"My little Shampoo was deeply in love with muko-dono. That sort of love is not easy to get over." Seeing the melancholy look on the boy's face, she thumped him over the head with her walking stick. "But life goes on and we have customers to serve, so get to work."

Mousse grunted in protest but returned to work all the same. Stealing one last look over at Shampoo, he whispered to himself. "I'll be here for you Shampoo. I'll wait for as long as it takes you to get over Ranma Saotome."

.

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Kodachi laid a fresh bouquet of black roses before the giant shrine she had erected in her bedroom in Ranma's honor.

"Oh, Ranma-sama, if only you had been true to your heart and returned the love I gave you. We would be married now and living happily in my family's estate, and you would have been freed of the tyranny of the Tendo household."

She pulled out her silk, embroidered handkerchief and blotted away none existent tears from her eyes.

"Oh, Ranma-sama, we would have been so happy together."

.

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At her friends' insistence, Akane joined them for an after school snack. Along the way, numerous people: shop owners and pedestrians alike, stopped her to offer their condolences.

"Whew, I never realized just how popular Ranma was." Yuka whispered to Sayuri.

"I know what you mean. But it's kind of odd, isn't it. Some refer to Ranma as a boy and others refer to him as a girl."

Yuka looked up and down the street while tapping her chin. "You know, if I'm not mistaken, it's all the food shop owners that seemed to think Ranma was a girl."

Sayuri sighed and shook her head. "Of course, using his sweet innocent girl act to get free food; that was so Ranma."

Akane grunted. "I wish these people would leave me alone already."

"They're just offering you their sympathies, Akane-chan," Sayuri said.

"They mean no harm," added Yuka.

"I know that," Akane snapped causing her friends to jump. She took a deep breath and allowed her eyes to drift close. "It's just that … I know what everyone else says but I know that Ranma is still alive. I know it." She straightened up and her look of determination returned. "It's just so aggravating being the only one to believe it."

Yuka and Sayuri looked at each other then Yuka said, "We believe, Akane-chan."

Akane's eyes lit up. "Really, you honestly believe Ranma's alive too?" she asked hopefully.

Her friends looked at each other again, then Sayuri answered. "No, not really, but we would say anything to cheer you up."

Akane's shoulder's drooped along with the expression on her face. She turned and continued down the street. "You know, it doesn't help saying your believe if you're going to admit that you don't really believe when I ask you."

Yuka gave Sayuri a _what were you thinking _kind of look. Sayuri sighed then hurried to catch up with her friends. "But you said, 'honestly'. I couldn't lie to you when you said, 'honestly'."

"What was I supposed to say? Tell me you're lying about believing?"

"Well no, of course not, but …" Sayuri practically ran up Akane's back. "Why'd we stop?"

"Ukyo's okonomiyaki shop is closed. That's strange. She's always open for the after school rush." Akane tried the door and it slid open. "Hmm, it's not locked." She turned to her friends. "Give me a minute, will you?"

Yuka nodded. "We'll be at the tea shop." She pointed across the street.

"Mmm," Akane turned and walked in, closing the door behind her. The restaurant area was empty. All the chairs were up and the lights were off. She walked over to the grill and held her hand over it for a moment before pressing her palm on it. "Cold." She heard a faint noise coming from the back.

Walking into the back, Akane went to Ukyo's room. There she found her classmate and rival for Ranma's affection sitting with her back up against the wall, her knees tucked close to her chest. She was looking at a picture and crying.

"Ukyo, are you all right?"

Ukyo gave a start. "Akane-chan! What are you doing here?"

"Your shop was closed but the door was unlocked."

"That Konatsu, can't he do anything right?"

Akane walked into the room and knelt next of the other girl. "Ukyo, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Uyko gave Akane a stunned look for a moment. "Are you stupid or something? What kind of question is that?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Did you really care so little about Ran-chan that his death means nothing to you? I'll never understand what Ran-chan saw in you."

Akane stiffened up straight. "I do care about Ranma. He means … he means … a lot to me. But I told you before, Ranma is not dead. I know it.

Ukyo sighed. "Forgive me if I doubt your psychic abilities, Akane-chan, but I've seen the pictures too. That girl you think is Ran-chan looks nothing like him. And those other pictures … those pictures …" She broke down in tears again.

"Ukyo." Akane reached out to the girl.

"Just go. Leave me alone."

Akane's hand came up short. "Ukyo?"

"Just go!"

Akane stood up and started to leave. She stopped for a moment, just long enough to whisper, "Ranma is alive. I know it."

"Go!"

Akane left the shop but instead of going to meet her friends she decided to head home in hopes that there might be word from Ryoga.

.

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Ryoga along with about fifty other people disembarked from the ferry that arrived on Akajimo Island. He walked up to the first person he saw, one of the ferry hands who was busy checking the lines securing the boat to the dock.

"Excuse me, sir." He held up the photo Akane had given him. "Have you ever seen this girl before?"

The man looked at the photo and smiled. "Sure, that's Sakura-chan. Everyone on this island knows her. Sweetest, cutest little thing in all of Okinawa."

"Okinawa? I thought I was on Akajimo." Ryoga released a long sigh and turned to go back on the ferry.

"No, wait young fella. This is Akajimo. What I meant was Sakura-chan is the cutest girl in all of Okinawa Prefecture, of which Akajimo is a part of. Now do you understand?"

Ryoga pondered the man's explanation for a moment than replied, "sooo this isn't Akajimo Island?"

"Yes, yes, this is Akajimo." He grabbed Ryoga and pointed him in the direction of town. Just follow this road and it will take you to the middle of town. Someone there can tell you where to go to find Sakura-chan."

"Right. Okay." Ryoka headed off towards the center of town.

Four days later, Sakura was at the open market buying groceries. It had been a very good week for her. Not only had she mastered water, but she was well on her way to mastering air. In addition, Master Sushi was now teaching the older teens so that meant she had others to spar against, and like everything else dealing with martial arts, Sakura excelled at it.

She always enjoyed buying groceries. The shop owners were always so sweet to her and they always gave her extra-large portions but only charge her for the small. This day was especially nice because she got to show off her new summer dress and sandals that Master Sushi bought for her as a present for mastering water.

At the market she picked a nice tasty looking fish, some fresh vegetables, and a couple juicy looking peaches. She couldn't wait to get home and start making dinner. Making her way down the street, she suddenly heard someone call out, "RANMA SAOTOME!"

She thought nothing of it and continued walking. After all, her name was Sakura, not Ranma. Again, she heard it but much closer this time. _Wow, this Ranma person must be in real trouble. Whoever is looking for her sounds really mad._

Suddenly, Ryoga appeared out of nowhere and was standing in front of her. Sakura gave a gasp and jumped back, startled by this man's sudden appearance.

He held up a photograph and asked in a demanding voice, "Is this a picture of you?"

Hesitantly, Sakura leaned in a little bit to get a good look at the tattered photo. "Where did you get my picture and who are you anyway?

"I'll ask the question." He stuffed the picture back in his pocket. "Do you recognize me, Ranma Saotome? Do you recognize your rival, Ryoga Hibiki?"

"Saotome? Rival? Hibiki?" Sakura looked the young man over. She studied his weathered clothes, his stern expression, his yellow and black headband, but none of it looked familiar to her. She played the names in her head a few times, Saotome … Hibiki … Saotome … Hibiki … Saotome … Hibiki. Nothing came to her, no hint of acknowledgment, no flicker of memory, nothing. She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't know those names and I don't know you." She offered him a smile then said as she walked past him, "Good luck in finding this Saotome person you are looking for."

Ryoga stared down at the ground. _Akane-san said the girl was suffering from amnesia. I thought for sure, if I startled her enough, it might jar her memory, assuming she really is Ranma. _He looked over his shoulder at the retreating figure. _Maybe I need to do something even more drastic. She is a girl, but if it is Ranma, then she's really a boy. I must, for Akane-san's sake._

_That was strange. What a weird way to greet someone. I feel sorry for this Saotome person. I hope she doesn't run into that weirdo, Hibiki._ Sakura shook it off and continued on her way down the dirt path which was a shortcut back to Master Sushi's dojo. This would be the first time she would be cooking dinner for both Master Sushi and Hitomi, all by herself and she wanted it to come out just right.

"FIGHT ME RANMMMAAA!"

Sakura turned just in time to see Ryoga's flying kick aimed for her head. She screamed and dove out of the way. The kick came so close she felt it graze her hair. She rolled across the ground, her groceries spilling out around her. She looked up at her attacker. "What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

Ryoga took an attack posture. "You will remember me, Ranma! All our battles! You will remember!" He launched another attack. To his shock, the girl just screamed and curled up into a ball. He stopped his fist just centimeters from delivering a lethal blow. _Could this possibly be Ranma? Ranma would never yield like this. It can't be._

"Hey you!"

"Leave Sakura-chan alone!"

"Someone call the police!"

Ryoga looked up and saw a crowd of people running towards them.

"Aww?" He jumped back. All of a sudden, he was being pelted with flying fruits and vegetables.

"**GET AWAY FROM OUR SAKURA-CHAN!**" Several people yelled in unison.

Ryoga easily dodged and blocked all of the objects thrown at him; all but one, a large kettle of boiling water struck him over the head. This just served to raise his anger but when he realized what it was he grabbed it off his head and jumped in front of the fallen girl. He stared down at her. "I have to know." He held the kettle over her with one hand and sliced it in two with the other.

Sakura looked up in time to see what was coming and gave a half turn. The water splashed all over her. Her bright summer dress was caked in mud along with her arms and legs. Her raven colored hair was plastered to the sides of her face. Sakura sat of the muddy ground staring at the mess that was to be her dinner tonight. The fish was covered in more mud than she was and the peaches had split open making them unusable. Tears started running down her wet face. She looked up at her attacker. "Why?"

Ryoga was in shock. He thought for sure, if this was Ranma, like Akane was so certain it was, that even if he couldn't remember who he was, there was no way he could deny his true appearance. But the girl did not change, and now she looked up at him with such innocent and grief stricken eyes. Never before had Ryoga felt sorrier for his actions than he did now. He knelt down and offered her his hand. "I'm so sorry little girl. I-I thought you were-"

Before he could say another word, Ryoga was struck in the face with a pork bun, followed by a fish, and finally a melon. He fall over on his back and was pummeled by the town's people who came to Sakura's defense. While most of her defenders busied themselves with beating Ryoga, three of the women helped Sakura up.

"Oh child, don't cry."

"We'll get you cleaned up in a jiffy."

Sakura wiped her eyes roughly. "But this was supposed to be our dinner tonight." She looked at the remains of the food that had now gotten trampled upon by the crowd. "I was making dinner for Sushi-sama and Hitomi-oneechan."

"Don't worry, Sa-chan. We'll help you pick out other things for dinner."

Sakura shook her head. "But I used all the money I had on this."

"Silly girl, haven't you learned yet? This is Akajimo."

"That's right. Here we take care of our own."

After taking a terrible beating, Ryoga was dragged and thrown on the ferry heading back to Okinawa.

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Sakura stood in the kitchen chopping vegetables, or rather with the butcher's knife in one hand and her other hand resting on the yet uncut produce. While it looked like she was staring down at them, in reality her eyes were unfocused, her mind in a misty haze. She lifted her hand and studied her palm. Clenching and unclenching her fist, she seemed to realize for the first time just how small it was. _Am I kidding myself? Am I really a martial artist or just a girl pretending to be one? Why didn't I fight back? Why didn't I defend myself? I could have fought back. Why didn't I? _Another thought came to mind. _Why did he try to dump hot water on me? _ She was so upset with having lost the makings for dinner she hadn't even given it a second thought earlier. _Did he know me? Could it be that I am the person he was looking for? Can I be this Ranma Saotome?_

Just then a stream of light streaked across the room like a laser beam. The setting sun caused this strange phenomenon all summer long and while summer was coming to an end, it would still happen for about another month. The light caught Sakura's attention. "Sushi-sama and Hitomi-oneechan will be here soon and I haven't even started dinner yet." She immediately started chopping the vegetables and cleaned the fish.

.

"Mmmm, everything is so good. You've really outdone yourself, Sakura-chan." Master Sushi shoved the last of his food in his mouth.

"More Sushi-sama?" Sakura offered.

"Mmm, please." He handed her his plate and rice bowl.

"Indeed, it is quite delicious. To be honest, Sakura-chan, I think you've gotten better than me." Hitomi ate another piece of the perfectly prepared fish.

Sakura blushed. "Stop, both of you. You're embarrassing me. Besides, I could never be as good a cook as you, Onee-chan? You are the best."

"That's so sweet of you to say, but I honestly think you are better than me now." Hitomi insisted.

"And should we be surprised? Sakura-chan is a better water master than I am and she's nearly mastered air already. You are amazing, Sakura-chan."

"Mmm." Hitomi nodded in agreement. "Yes, truly amazing."

This time, Sakura didn't blush or giggle. She just looked down at her hands resting on her lap. "No, I'm not amazing. I'm … I'm nothing."

Master Sushi and Hitomi stopped eating and looked over at Sakura who was still staring down at her hands. They looked at each other and nodded.

Hitomi leaned over the small table and placed her hand over Sakura's. "Is it about what happened in town earlier today?"

Sakura's eyes went wide as she looked to both of them. "You know about that?"

Master Sushi set his bowl down. "We know some stranger attacked you, and the shopkeepers beat him senseless and threw him back on the ferry."

Hitomi moved a little closer, "You weren't hurt were you?"

"No. No, I'm fine."

"Do you know who he was?" asked Master Sushi.

Sakura shook her head. "I never saw him before." She thought of mentioning that her attacker seemed to recognize her and called her by the name, Ranma Saotome, but she decided to leave that part out for now.

"So, what is wrong?"

Hitomi gave Master Sushi a look before addressing Sakura. "Did he frighten you, Sakura-chan? Are you still scared?"

Sakura looked up and met the woman's gaze. What was really bothering her? She thought back to the encounter.

"Do you recognize me, Ranma Saotome? Do you recognize your rival, Ryoga Hibiki?"

…

She saw Ryoga holding the kettle over her and bringing his hand down upon it. She honed her ki that instant and through an abbreviated form, managed to shield her body from the hot water as it fell upon her.

…

She looked at the muddy fish and the broken peaches which were to be the highlights of the very special dinner she was making all by herself.

She smiled softly and shook her head. "No, he didn't scare me. It's just ..." She shook her head again. "It's nothing. I'm being silly." She stood up and ran to the kitchen. "I hope you left room for dessert!"

She came back with three plates of sliced peaches covered in a light drizzling of sweet bean glaze. "I hope you like it."

Sakura, who had finished her dinner first, was the first to eat her peaches. They were tasty but she was certain that the first peaches she had picked would have made the dish much better. Those were perfectly ripe and smelled wonderfully sweet. Hitomi and Master Sushi each complemented her on the dinner and the dessert, but Sakura knew in her heart that as good as it was, it would have been so much better had she been able to use the ingredients she first bought.

After dinner, Hitomi and Master Sushi insisted on taking care of the dishes. In the kitchen, Master Sushi relegated Hitomi to drying so she would not get her yukata wet. Meanwhile, Sakura went to change into her yukata. Afterward, the three of them took a casual stroll along the walkway that lined the beach.

Despite the late summer heat, the steady tropical breeze helped keep them comfortable. Hitomi and Sakura used their fans more for show than to keep cool, occasionally waving with them to the many evening beach goers who took notice of the two young women in bright summer yukata.

Master Sushi stopped for a moment and took in a deep breath. "Could you ask for a more perfect evening?"

Hitomi got that mischievous look in her eyes. "Well, something cold would be nice right about now."

Sakura looked back down the walkway and saw that the shaved ice vendor was still doing brisk business. "I'll get us some ice! What flavor-"

Hitomi placed her hand upon the younger woman's shoulder. "That's all right Sakura-chan. I'm sure Sushi-sama doesn't mind going. Do you, Sushi-sama?"

Master Sushi read the message in Hitomi's eyes and smiled. "Not at all. Pineapple, Hitomi-sensei?"

"You know me too well."

"And cherry for you, Sakura-chan?"

"Mmm." She nodded with a smile.

"I'll be right back." He headed back up the walkway.

Sakura stared out over the ocean and wondered if she had in all her life ever seen anything as beautiful as this.

"You know, Sakura-chan. If there is anything troubling you, anything at all; you can always talk to me about it." Hitomi assured her

Sakura looked over at her friend and mentor, and offered her a weak smile. "I know. It's just so silly." She looked down at her geta and knuckled her toes. "I picked out the perfect ingredients for tonight's dinner. I know it would have been perfect, just perfect, but that man… when he attacked me, they all fell to the ground, and then when everyone came to my rescue, they stepped all over them." Sakura wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall. "This was the first time I was making dinner by myself for you and Sushi-sama and I wanted everything to come out just right." She smiled up at her friend with quivering lips. "See, I told you it was silly."

Hitomi slipped her hand into Sakura's. "You know, when I was sixteen I almost gave up being an acupuncturist."

"Why? You're great at it and you help so many people."

Hitomi smiled, "That's very nice of you to say." She looked out over the ocean. "I started training to be an acupuncturist when I was ten. My mother was my teacher. She was a great acupuncturist and she taught me well. By the time I was fourteen I was good enough to help her in her clinic and by fifteen I was seeing my own patients. I took great pride in never causing any of my patients any discomfort. No matter what condition they were in, no matter how much pain they were already in, I always made sure I didn't add to their pain. Well, one day I had to stay late at school so I got to the clinic late for an appointment. The patient was an elderly gentleman whom I had been treating for months. When I arrived at the clinic I found out that my mother had taken him for me. I peered in her office and saw the man flinch and grunt in pain with each needle my mother inserted. Well, I had enough respect for her not to say anything while she was treating the man but later that night I spoke to her about it. I didn't say it in so many words but I basically told her that seeing her cause that man pain made me believe that perhaps I was a better acupuncturist than she was, and that maybe it was time for her to start thinking about retiring, or at the very least assign all of her more difficult patients to me."

"You didn't?"

Hitomi nodded, "Yes, I did. And even today I am ashamed for having said such things to my mother." She lowered he head for a moment.

Sakura scratched her head. "But you were right, weren't you, I mean at least when it came to that one patient?"

"No, I wasn't. See, a week later, the man came back for his regular visit but instead of coming in all hunched over and in pain like he normally did, he came in walking straight and tall, and was carrying a basket filled with vegetables. He gave it to my mother and thanked her. He said that while the session had been painful the week before, the results were amazing. By the next morning he was pain free for the first time in years and was able to work on his garden the way he use to. The vegetables were from his garden and he promised to bring her more. My mother thanked him and cautioned him not to overdue it. He promised that he wouldn't but if the pain came back he would not hesitate to come back to her."

"That's amazing." Sakura grinned.

Hitomi agreed. "I realized then that I had taken the entirely wrong approach when it came to my acupuncture technique. I let my pride get in the way of my heart. My mother practiced from her heart. She did everything she could to improve her patients' long term health, while I was practicing from my pride. It puffed me up to have my patients complement me on how painless my procedures were. That night I told my mother I was giving up acupuncture."

"No!"

Hitomi smiled and gave Sakura's hand a squeeze. "Of course, I didn't."

"Oh, right." Sakura blushed and scratched the back of her head.

"My mother was a kind woman, perhaps too kind to get through to a stubborn girl like me. So instead she sent me here, to look after my grandmother. She had just had major surgery and needed someone to help look after her. Of course, never tell my grandmother that." The women giggled. "Despite my protests, Grandmother insisted I treat her and so I did. As you know, she speaks her mind, always. With her help, I learned to treat my patients from the heart, and she taught me herbology as well."

Sakura's smile grew.

"My point is that it doesn't matter if your technique is perfect or the ingredients you use are perfect, as long as it comes from the heart, everything you do; acupuncture, cooking even martial arts, will work out in the end."

Sakura gave her friend a big hug. "Thank you, Onee-chan." She looked up into her eyes. "You're the best."

"Here we go ladies, shaved ice to order." Master Sushi planted the cane with the hooked handle holding the three frozen containers, out in front of him.

The three of them sat at the edge of the walkway and ate their summer treat. Hitomi absentmindedly toed the sand while Sakura swung her feet a few inches above it.

.

"You didn't need to walk me home." Hitomi assured both of them.

"It's a beautiful night. Walking you home just gave us an excuse to stay out longer." Master Sushi smiled. "Say hello to your grandmother for me."

"Me too," beamed Sakura, "and tell her I love the book. I've read it three times already and I cried each time."

Hitomi smiled. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear how much you've enjoyed it."

She slid open the door and stepped inside the house. Turning to see them one last time, she smiled with sleepy eyes and said goodnight.

Sakura walked at Master Sushi's pace. She marveled at all of the stars that filled the sky. The last time she enjoyed the night sky with Master Sushi was in the garden at his home and it was amazing then as well. This time, it was like a blanket of stars draped over the sky, far too many to count, though she tried.

"Why didn't you defend yourself against that stranger, Sakura-chan?"

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked down at the ground.

"That's the question you haven't been able to answer for yourself, isn't it, Sakura-chan?"

She looked up at him. "How did you know?"

Her teacher smiled. "When you've been a martial artist as long as I have, you learn to recognize certain expressions. The one you've been wearing all evening tells me you're questioning your resolve."

Sakura looked away. "I should have fought back. I should have stood my ground. I felt so weak, relying on everyone to come to my rescue. I was so ashamed."

Master Sushi hooked one cane over his wrist and rested his hand upon the girl's shoulder. "There is no reason to be ashamed. What happened to you happens to every martial artist some time in their life."

She turned back to him. "Really?"

"Mmm, what we learn in the dojo does not always transfer readily to real life, and sparring is not the same as a real fight. There is no shame in accepting help from others, just as long as we don't rely or expect that help all the time." Master Sushi smiled. "Besides, everyone on this island cares about you, Sakura-chan. And there is nothing wrong with getting help from the people who care for you."

Sakura used her finger to brush away the tears from her eyes, then she took Master Sushi's hand and moved it around to her other shoulder and placed her arm around his waist. Grabbing the cane that was hooked over his other hand, she looked up and smiled at him. "Let me help you, Sushi-sama."

He smiled back. "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

Along the way home and perhaps for the first time, Sakura realize how truly happy she was here. _This is my home. This is where I belong. _She stole a glance up and Master Sushi and smiled. _I'm home … I am home._

_._

_._

To Be Continued...

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Author's Notes: I know some of you are concerned that Ranma will not come back. And others, that Sakura will completely disappear when he does come back. Well, I certainly do not want to give anything away, so all I will say on the matter is, Trust Me. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it. I'll try to have chapter 10 posted sooner.

A. Amishi


	10. Chapter 10: I would know

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

AN: Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out. After reviewing it before posting a few weeks ago, I decided it needed a re-write. That took some time go get right. But I'm pretty happy with it now. Hopefully you will enjoy it.

YAAN: Okay, I feel I must apologize for both to my beta-reader, Kim and to you, my readers. See, the truth is, the version of this chapter I originally posted was not reviewed by my beta-reader. I had just sent it to her moments before posting it. In the first (and only review I've received so far), a number of errors were pointed out to me. I corrected them and re-posted the chapter. I finally got my beta's notes yesterday, and she had quite a few. So I'm re-posting again with her corrections. I sincerely apologize for how sloppy the first posting of this story was, and I'm sorry if it detracted from your ability to enjoy it in any way. Thank you for continuing to follow my story and please let me know what you think of this chapter.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 10: I Would Know?

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Akane placed the last of the provisions Kasumi prepared for her in her backpack. "Thanks for your help, Onee-chan. Saotome-obasama is still too distraught over Ranma to have helped and Nabiki … well; Nabiki just thinks I'm wasting my time."

"Akane-chan, are you sure this is the right thing to do? Ryoga may still return with-"

Akane shook her head. "I can't wait any longer. I have to know. One way or the other, I have to know." She hoisted the pack on her back, gave her sister a hug, and headed out the door.

"Good luck, Akane-chan." Kasumi watched her as she headed down the street turning in the direction of the train station.

Akane was determined. She was going to finally find out. She was sick and tired of everyone accepting the photos of the mutilated body as Ranma. Why was she the only one who still held out hope? Why was she the only one who believed in Ranma? It did not matter anymore. She would find him, and she would start and finish in Akajimo Island. She was certain this was Ranma. Ryoga had reached Okinawa over a month ago but he had not returned, and she was tired of waiting. She would find out for herself. That was all there was to it. She would learn the girl's true identity and if it was Ranma, she would bring him home. And if it was not? She had no answer for that. She would never allow herself to believe the photos of the dead man were Ranma. However, she had to admit that with nearly the entire western end of Japan alerted to Ranma's disappearance; it seemed highly unlikely that if he were alive, he would not have been found by now. But she could not allow herself to think such things. Not now, not when she was just getting started.

She looked up and saw she was passing the park. Glancing over towards the water fountain, which was near the tennis courts she spotted someone standing there looking down into the water. Though he was a good distance away, there was no mistaking who it was.

"Ryoga-kun!" She cried out and ran towards him.

The boy looked up and turned from side to side then took off running in the opposite direction.

"No." She gritted her teeth and picked up her pace. "Ryoga-kun! Stop! Just stop and I'll catch up to you!" Reaching the water fountain she shrugged off her backpack and ran as fast as she could. "Ryoga-kun!"

Without her pack to slow her down, Akane closed the distance quickly. Certain he could hear her now, she cried out once more. "Stop, Ryoga-kun!" This time he listened; a little too well. She crashed into him and they both fell to the ground.

Ryoga sprang back to his feet. "Akane-san, I'm so sorry." He extended his hand and helped her up.

"No, it's my fault." She dusted herself off.

"Akane-san," he bowed, "I'm glad I found you … or rather … you found me. I've been-"

"Did you find him?" Akane cut him off. "Did you find, Ranma? Why isn't he with you?"

Ryoga's shoulders drooped just a bit but it was enough for Akane to notice. "What happened?" She lost all expression; only fear shown through her eyes.

Ryoga lowered his gaze. "It was not him. That girl …" He pulled the picture from his pocket and handed it to Akane. "She is not Ranma."

Akane took the picture and looked at it. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Quite sure. Not only did she not recognize me, but when I poured hot water on her, she did not change into a boy. I'm sorry, Akane-san. But know this; I, Ryoga Hibiki, have not given up. I will continue to search for Ranma until I find him for you. This I promise."

Akane hung her head. She stared down at the picture. _It can't be. I was so sure. I know this is Ranma. This has to be him. _She looked up at him. "Are you certain the water was hot enough? Maybe it was just lukewarm. Maybe the girl you met wasn't the girl in this picture. It could have been another girl, someone who just looked like her ..."

"Akane-san." Ryoga shook his head. "I showed the picture to the girl. She acknowledged the picture was of her. And I assure you, the water was plenty hot. I am sorry, Akane-san."

_So this is it. _She stared at the picture. _You were my last hope. _She closed her eyes and fought back the tears. _No, I won't give up hope … but I can't make Ryoga-kun continue to search for Ranma either. It simply would not be fair to Ryoga-kun. _"Thank you, Ryoga-kun." She reached out and took his hand. "Come with me."

Having his hand held by Akane was almost more than Ryoga could handle. His face turned red and he began feeling warm all over. _ Where could she be taking me? Is she intending to show me her gratitude someplace quiet and intimate? _He began to overheat. _No, it can't be. Akane-san is far too innocent and pure to do something like that. But to pledge to search for that unworthy Ranma until the task is complete… perhaps she has finally realized my true feelings for her. _

Ryoga allowed himself to be led, first back to the fountain then through the streets of Nerima when they came to a sudden stop. His mind still in a haze of euphoria, Ryoga took a moment to get his bearings. "We're in front of your house."

Akane drew in a deep breath. "Yes, we are." She released his hand and opened the front gate. "Come in."

Ryoga hesitated but a moment before following her in.

Akane made no announcement of her arrival home but rather walked quietly through the house. She paused when she came to the kitchen and looked in. Nodoka was absentmindedly preparing lunch.

"Saotome-obasama." Akane waited until she was sure she had the woman's attention. "Ryoga-kun is back, without Ranma."

Nodoka saw Ryoga come up beside Akane. He had a solemn look on his face. "I see. I'll make some tea."

Akane continued down the hall, pausing only a moment to deposit her backpack at the foot of the stairs, then continued to a small room. Sliding the door open she gestured for Ryoga to enter. "Ranma's mother will be by shortly." Then she turned and headed up to her room.

Ryoga was thoroughly confused. Why had Akane brought him here only to leave him alone in this room? He looked around and noticed that the room was almost completely empty except for two small shrines. He walked up to them. One had a picture of a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Akane and her sisters.

"This must be Akane-san's mother." He put his hands together and bowed taking a moment to offer up a prayer,

Ryoga moved over to the other shrine. In it was a picture of Ranma next to an urn. "Why is there a shrine for Ranma next to the shrine for Akane-san's mother?"

"To serve as a memorial to my son."

Ryoga jumped, startled by Nodoka's sudden appearance.

She knelt and set the tray down. "Please, sit and I will tell you about my son, Ranma."

Ryoga did as she asked, and she explained about the day the police chief came and showed them the pictures of the young man whose body had washed up on shore. She told him about the steady flow of well-wishers who came to pay their respects. Finally, she told him how Akane refused to give up and had clung to the small sliver of hope that he would return with Ranma.

"You have always been very kind to Akane-chan. Perhaps, if it is not too much trouble, you can stay for a time; a few days perhaps to help her deal with her loss."

Ryoga set his tea down and bowed low. "I will do all I can to help in this difficult time."

Akane lay on her bed staring at the tattered picture, silent tears falling from her eyes. "It can't be. I would know if Ranma were gone. I would feel it. I'm sure of it. I-I'm … I-I'm …"

.

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Soun Tendo set his chopsticks down and let out a satisfied moan. "My, that was quite delicious. Nodoka-san, you truly outdid yourself. Don't you think so, Nabiki, Ryoga-kun?"

"Oh, yes, Tendo-sama." Ryoga quickly agreed. "This was truly a wonderful meal, Nodoka-sama"

"Yeah, great." Nabiki replied while flipping through the channels on the TV.

Nodoka gave a knowing grin to Soun. "You should thank Akane-chan. She was a big help in the kitchen today."

Soun gave an animated smile. "Really! Well, Akane, you are becoming quite the cook I see."

"Yes, thank you, Akane-san." Ryoga added a little too enthusiastically.

Akane glared at the two of them. "I boiled water, that's all."

"Oh, don't be modest, Akane-chan. You were a big help." Nodoka patted the girl's hand.

Akane rolled her eyes and stood up. "I'm going for a walk."

Soun nudged Ryoga.

"Oh… ah, Akane-san." He stood up. "May I join you?"

"If you want." She didn't bother to look back on her way to the door.

She walked with no particular destination in mind, turning here and there until her aimless wanderings lead them to the park. Once there she walked over to the water fountain. Searching in her pocket she pulled out a coin and tossed it in. They stood there for several minutes looking down at the water.

_This is so wonderful._ Thought Ryoga. _With Ranma out of the picture, it is just a matter of time before Akane-san begins seeing me in a new light._

"Thank you, Ryoga-kun." Akane finally whispered.

Ryoga offered her a big stupid grin. "No problem." He laughed. A moment later, he asked, "Hmm, for what?"

"For not questioning me about Ranma." Akane continued to stare down at the water. "Everyone believes Ranma is dead. They think I'm in denial because I didn't say goodbye to him before he left, or because I never told him how I truly felt about him. But that's not true. I really believe that I would know if Ranma was gone. You see … I really do care about him."

Ryoga felt his heart crack.

"I know it seems crazy. He's so arrogant and selfish and stupid and cheap and he was always too big a coward to reject Shampoo and Ukyo; and when it comes to martial arts he is so single-minded. He has to win no matter what."

Ryoga felt his heart slowly mend with each insulting word Akane threw towards his rival.

"But Ranma had his sweet side too. He could be kind and caring when he wanted to be; and to tell you the truth, it's his stubborn determination to win at all costs that attracted me to him in the first place." Akane admitted.

Ryoga's heart split in two. Never being a man of many words, Ryoga just stood there not knowing how to respond.

She looked over and smiled. "Thanks for listening, Ryoga. It must be hard on you too, having your friend go missing like this."

He gave her a weak smile. "You have no idea." _Just kill me now. Even in death, you still manage to stand in the way of my happiness, Ranma. _

_._

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Master Sushi led the way deep into the interior of the island. While most of the island was lush and green covered with a healthy coat of tropical foliage, this part of the island was especially dense, making passage even through its well worn path difficult. More than once, Sakura snagged her training outfit on branches and thorns. Finally, they emerged in a clearing. The open area was covered in sparse grass and moss covered rocks. Sakura slowly turned round and round. In this clearing that was about 20 meters in diameter, not a single bush or tree grew while a thick wall of tropical foliage made it nearly impossible to see beyond it.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Master Sushi made his way to the middle of the clearing and sat on the ground. When Sakura finally stopped looking around and took notice of where Master Sushi was, she hurried over to him and sat facing him.

"During the war, this island was heavily bombed. In time the plants grew back and the animals returned. Everywhere, except here. No one knows why. Maybe, it is because of the large stones the bombs turned up here." He gestured all around them. "In any case, it makes this spot an ideal place to practice the manipulation of earth."

Sakura nodded.

"Just as manipulating water and air required specific martial arts skills, so it is with the earth. Water was the easiest because it used Tai Chi, a martial art you were most familiar with. Air took a little more work because it meant mastering the fundamentals of Baguazhang. Though different from Tai Chi, there were enough similarities so as not to make it too difficult. Now, with earth, you will need to learn Hung Ga Kung Fu. A very different form of martial arts.

"The core of Hung Ga is the four empty hand routines: Taming the Tiger Fist, Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist, Five Animal Five Element Fist, and Iron Wire Fist. Each routine in itself can take years to master, let alone all five. And you need to master all five in order to even think of beginning to manipulate earth."

Sakura's expression betrayed her mild disappointment.

"However, seeing how very quickly you have mastered everything else I have tried teaching you, I have no doubt you will have these master within a few months as well, if you work hard." Master Sushi smiled.

Sakura smiled back, her feelings of disappointment evaporated and were replaced by overwhelming confidence. She tipped her head to the side, and looked around the open field again. "So, if I must master these routines first, why did we come here? Couldn't we train just as easily at the dojo?"

"Actually, I won't be teaching you Hung Ga."

"You won't?"

Master Sushi shook his head. "My Hung Ga master, Kuen-sama will be your master. It is your good fortune that Kuen-sama chose to retire to this island a little over a year ago."

Sakura smiled, but it quickly faded. "But if he is retired, will he be willing to teach me?"

Master Sushi grinned. "Once he meets you, I'm sure he will agree to teach you. And as for why we are here now, I simply wanted to show you where you would be practicing your earth manipulation." He grabbed his canes and stood up. "And to give you a small, and I do mean small, demonstration."

Excitement flooded Sakura's heart and she sprang to her feet.

Master Sushi turned to her and asked. "Sakura-chan, can you create a whirlwind around me to hold me up? It is hard enough trying to manipulate earth without having to manipulate the air around me as well."

"Of course, Sushi-sama." She took her stance and performed the necessary form, creating a short, tight whirlwind around Master Sushi up to his waist.

Feeling stable, he tossed his canes aside and began performing a form unlike any Sakura had ever seen from him. The routine was strong and forceful, unlike the fluid and graceful routines she was accustom to doing when she manipulated the air and water. A few meters in front of Master Sushi, a large rock began to shake. It wobbled from side to side and slowly began to rise. It only rose a few centimeters but it was enough to leave Sakura awestruck. Then Master Sushi did something really impressive. He drove the stone back down with enough force to cause more than half of it to be buried under the ground.

Sakura stared mesmerized at the rock until Master Sushi called out to her. "Sakura-chan." In an instant, she picked up his canes and brought them to him, then performed the appropriate form to cause the whirlwind to dissipate. "That was incredible," she said to him.

It took Master Sushi a few minutes to catch his breath, then he looked up and replied. "That was nothing compared to what I know you will be able to do once you are ready."

Sakura stared up at her teacher. He had often said such words to her and it always filled her with joy and gratitude, but these were not simple words of praise that cost him nothing to say. This felt different. This time he was expecting her to do something, something to a degree far greater than even he was capable of doing. Yes, this was more than praise; this was expectation. She straightened up, standing as tall as her petite frame would allow. "I will. I promise."

He stared intently into her eyes. Sakura was always a confident martial artist, but so were many of his students. What he saw in her was more than confidence. It was a determination to accomplish the task she was about to undertake. This was not going to be easy and he was certain she knew this, but he was equally certain she was prepared to do whatever it took to master earth. For the first time since he had found her washed up on the beach, he saw not a girl, but a woman, ready and capable of meeting life's challenges.

He looked down for a moment and drew in a deep breath. "Well, that's enough for today. Let's head home." He looked up at the sky. "It's starting to get late."

Making their way back through the bushes, Sakura asked. "What would you like for lunch, Sushi-sama?"

"Miso and rice would be good."

She giggled. "You are so easy to please, Sushi-sama."

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Mousse rushed into the Cat Café. "Shampoo! Shampoo! Have you heard?" He stopped cold at what he saw. All of the tables and chairs were stacked up against the wall. He walked into the kitchen only to find it empty and the stoves cold. "But it's the dinner hour." Mousse scratched his head.

Slowly, he made his way to the back of the shop. There he found Shampoo, her father and great-grandmother loading the last of their belongings onto a truck. "What's going on?"

Shampoo busied herself loading the truck and didn't take the time to answer Mousse's query. She only paused every now and then to wipe her eyes dry.

Cologne jumped upon her staff. "Isn't it obvious? We are heading home. There is no longer any reason to stay."

"So you've heard?"

"That Ryoga encountered the girl that Akane was convinced was Muko-dono? Yes, we heard. That is why we are going home."

Shampoo placed the last box on the truck and closed it. "Is all done."

Her father gave the driver instructions on which pier to take their belongings and paid him. "Well, that everything." He checked his watch. "We have three hour before ship leave."

"Shampoo need go some place. Be back very soon." She started walking through the shop to head out the front door.

"Shampoo, wait!" Mousse ran after her. "Where are you going? C-Can I go with you?"

Shampoo gave him a gentle smile and shook her head. "Mousse will see all he want of Shampoo when we back in China. Give me little time for self, okay?"

"I understand." He took a step back. "Say goodbye to Ranma for me, will you?"

She nodded and walked out the door.

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Ukyo and Konatsu had already packed and unpacked the okonomiyaki cart three times. Ukyo always seemed to forget something that just had to be packed first so everything else had to come out. Now she was blaming Konatsu for forgetting the spare signs and banners. Of course they were important but not essential for daily use.

"There's no point in waiting to do it later. Unpack it all and we'll store them under the spare griddle." Ukyo started pulling things out.

Konatsu took the sack of rice flour from her and turned to set it aside but thought better of it. "Ukyo-sama, we do not have to go if you do not really want to."

Ukyo stared at him for a moment shaking her head. "No, it's time I moved on. Here, give me back the flour. We can place the signs in the spatula drawer until we reach our first destination. Then we'll store them properly."

Konatsu leaned in with some hesitation. "Are you sure, Ukyo-sama?"

Ukyo smiled, "Yes, I'm sure. We need to get going before it gets any later."

The last thing Ranma's other fiancée did was hang a 'SOLD' sign on the shop door.

"So what is our destination, Ukyo-sama?"

"I think we'll start in Osaka. I hear a vendor can do very well there if you're aggressive enough, and I'm no wallflower, that's for sure."

Konatsu smiled. He knew it was going to take time for his mistress to get over the loss of her fiancé but at least she was making the effort.

"There is one place I want to stop at before we leave town."

"Of course, Ukyo-sama. Lead the way."

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Everyone was in the washitsu. Nabiki and Ryoga were watching TV, Soun was reading the paper and Nodoka was quietly knitting. Akane sat next to her sister and Ryoga. While she stared off in the direction of the television, her mind was on anything but the show they had on.

_Am I being unrealistic? Would I really feel it if Ranma were truly gone? It's not like he ever told me he loved me; for that matter, I never told him how I felt about him either. Am I just pretending, like everyone says because I'm feeling guilty?_

"Nihao! Is home anyone?"

"Shampoo?" Akane spring up and hurried to the door. "Shampoo, it is you."

The Chinese Amazon bowed. "Nihao, Akane. May Shampoo come in?"

Akane was taken aback by the girl's formality. "Ah, s-sure, Shampoo. Come on in."

She took off her shoes and walked in.

Nabiki and the others came up to see what was going on. "Shampoo? What brings you here?"

"And without breaking down any walls?"

The girl bowed. "Shampoo wish to pay last respects to Ranma before leaving."

"Leaving?" 

She nodded. "Shampoo and family go back to China. No have reason to stay in Japan. Shampoo say last goodbye then go."

Everyone became very solemn. Finally, Akane stepped forward, "Of course, follow me." She led Shampoo to the room where Ranma's shrine was.

Shampoo knelt down before it and prayed. Feeling a little uncomfortable, Akane shuffled from foot to foot before finally offering to get her some tea.

"Is not necessary, Shampoo not stay long." Then she clapped her hands and bowed low before standing. "You still believe, Ranma alive?"

Akane stared into Shampoo's eyes. Did she truly believe it still? Was she still so certain that the ashes in the urn next to Ranma's picture were not the remains of her fiancé? Stating with a conviction she did not truly feel, she answer, "Yes."

Shampoo looked at the shrine once again before turning back at Akane. "Shampoo pray you are right." She extended her hand. "Akane always good rival to Shampoo. Maybe we meet again someday."

Akane took Shampoo's hand into hers. "Maybe, someday. Have a safe trip home, Shampoo."

The Chinese girl bowed and then left.

Akane stood by the doorway long after Shampoo had gone. She knew that the young Amazonian would not be heading home if she held out any hope that Ranma was still alive. Was she truly alone in her conviction?

"Akane, is something wrong?"

Akane turned and stared up at her sister. "Am I wrong, Nabiki? Am I crazy for believing that Ranma is still out there somewhere and not in that urn?" She wanted to believe, she needed to believe, but more than that, she needed to know the truth. Was she just deluding herself into believing? Was she really being honest with herself? She needed to know, but was Nabiki really the one to give her that answer? If Kasumi were here, Akane would have asked her. Though generally optimistic, Kasumi was also honest and straightforward. Akane was expecting some flippant, sarcastic response from her middle sister. But right now, any response would do to help chase away the nagging doubts hanging over her head.

"I can't answer that for you, Akane. I know what I believe, but I would not presume to tell you what you should believe. If you have doubts than you need to search your heart to find out what is true to you." Nabiki started to turn away but stopped. "I'm sorry I can't give you a better answer." Then she walked away.

Akane was stunned. Never had she expected her sister to give her such a profound and well thought out answer. _Nabiki …_

The door slid open. "Akane-chan?"

The girl turned. "Ukyo?"

Ukyo blushed faintly. Obviously, she expected to see Akane, this being her home and all, but she was not expecting her to be standing at the door. "Ah … was that Shampoo I just saw leaving here?"

"Yes. She stopped to … to say one last goodbye … to … to Ranma. Are you leaving too, Ukyo?"

Ranma's "cute" fiancée, as Ranma would say from time to time, shook herself out of her stupor. "Ah, yes. Yes, I'm heading for Osaka first and then up north before it gets too cold, but how did you know?"

Akane stepped up into the hallway to let Ukyo in. "Shampoo is heading back to China. So you've come to say goodbye to Ranma one last time too?"

"Yes." Ukyo bowed. "I want to say goodbye to my … to our fiancé."

Akane nodded and led the way. In the room, Ukyo did much the same thing Shampoo had done. Akane stood quietly off to the side respecting Ukyo's time with Ranma's memory.

A few minutes later, Ukyo got up. "I still can't believe he's really gone." She wiped away the tears from her eyes. "Of course, you still don't believe it, do you Akane-chan?"

"No, I don't," Akane answered defensively. How could she admit to having doubts when she had been so certain for so long.

"Well," Ukyo looked back at the shrine. "I wish I could believe that. I hope you are right." She turned to Akane. "I wish we had met under different circumstances. I think we would have been good friends, you and I."

Akane softened. "Ukyo."

Ukyo extended her hand. "Goodbye, Akane-chan."

Akane stepped forward and hugged her. "We'll see each other again. I'm sure of it."

Ukyo hugged her back. "Another one of your premonitions?"

Akane chuckled and wiped her eyes dry. "Yeah, I guess. Want to stay and have some tea?"

Ukyo smiled and shook her head. "No, Konatsu is waiting outside with my okonomiyaki cart. We need to get going if we're going to make it to Osaka by nightfall. But thank you, Akane-chan." She bowed then left.

Akane walked out to the garden and crouched down by the pond. Looking down into the water she remembered the last conversation, or rather the last fight she and Ranma had the night before he left on his training journey. It came to her so vividly.

"_So this is where you ran off to." Ranma stepped out into the garden._

"_Mmm, just getting some fresh air." Akane dusted off some non-existent lint from her dress._

"_Yeah, I know what you mean. I never realized Kasumi-chan had so many friends." _

…

"_That was really nice of you." Ranma ran his hand over the back of his head._

"_Huh?" Akane turned._

"_Telling your sister about Tofu-sensei and all. That was really nice of you."_

…

"_Is that why you've been looking at me funny all this time?" Akane shook her head. "Because you thought I did something nice, something saintly." She chuckled. "You're such a dummy, Ranma." _

She regretted those words now, more than ever.

_The young martial artist blushed and a deep frown crossed his face. _

"_Ranma, I didn't mean that. Really." She stepped closer to him. "I appreciate that you think what I did was so nice."_

…

_She looked away. "I guess I'm just being a little selfish." _

_Ranma stuffed his hands in his pockets and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Selfish? About what?"_

"_About love." She turned back towards him and asked, "Do you ever thing about love, Ranma? About whom you want to spend the rest of your life with? About …" She blushed and looked away. "us?"_

"'_Us'… What 'us'?" He laughed and looked away. He turned back ... "Akane!" He stepped towards her but she shoved him aside and ran to the house. She remembered hearing the sound of Ranma hitting the water._

Did Ranma regret those words as much as Akane had regretted saying those hurtfully things just moments earlier? Did she overreact, as usual? Was he about to apologize, like she had? Only, she didn't give him the opportunity. She reacted instantly, like she always did.

_Akane tried desperately to fight back the tears. _

…

_Akane could make out Ranma splashed her way up to the surface of the water and heard her pulled herself out of the water. She heard her scream out, "You stupid thick-waist, macho chick!"_

_Akane ran up to her room and locked the door. She took off the new dress she bought especially for the wedding. She lay down on her bed and curled up tightly. What is wrong with me? Why does he hate me so? Why do I keep putting up with him? She closed her eyes and let the tears flow. "I hate you, Ranma. I really, really do hate you."_

But that was not true at all. She did not hate Ranma. Far from it. Staring into the water, she knew those words were not the last ones she spoke to Ranma but did it really make a difference. She said them to herself and that was the sentiment she felt the next morning. The feeling that kept her from saying goodbye to Ranma, before he left. _For the last time. _She stood stock straight. "No! Not for the last time! Ranma is not dead! I don't know where he is, but he is not dead! I would know it! I would know, if he were dead." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I would."

.

.

Master Sushi held his fingers to his lips and then quietly slid open the door to his old master's home. He and Sakura stepped inside and slipped off their shoes, careful not to make any sound at all. Sakura found it strange that they should be entering a house without announcing their presence but she followed her master's lead nonetheless. For his part, Master Sushi placed both his canes in one hand and by sheer force of will, managed to walk down the hall to the inner courtyard without losing his balance or making a sound. Sakura tip-toed her way behind him, trying to be just as quiet. However, once in a while she could feel, more than hear, the floor boards under her feet creek ever so slightly.

With the courtyard in view, she was able to see the back of an old man sitting in meditation. She smiled to herself realizing that this must be some sort of test the old master employed to determine a student's worthiness. With this in mind, she walked even more carefully than before.

However, as they drew near to the courtyard, the old man spoke in a heavy Chinese accent. "You are out of practice, Ueda. Obviously, relying on those sticks of yours has dulled your skills."

Master Sushi stopped and bowed low, then returned his canes to his hands, ready to walk with them as he normally did. "My apologies, Kuen-sama. I will strive to train harder in the skills you have taught me."

"No, you won't. You take too much pleasure in those other movements that laughingly pass for martial arts. However, it is your loss, not mine." The old master drew in several deep, cleansing breaths before continuing. "And who is your clumsy friend. She walks like a herd of charging rhinos. I could hear and feel every step she made. Truly a graceless child."

Sakura was both amazed and offended. She may be many things, but never had she ever considered herself to be the least bit clumsy or graceless. Still, it amazed her that not only had the old man known it was Master Sushi who had entered his home and that he was not alone, but he knew she was a young girl.

"This is Sakura, my student, and I hope yours as well." Master Sushi bowed even lower.

Sakura stood there wondering why he was being so formal when the old man hadn't even taken the time to turn around to look at them.

"Well, she is not one for manners, is she?" Master Kuen said, taking another deep cleansing breath.

She felt as if someone had just slapped her in the face. Not a hard slap but the kind of slap that shocks the body to attention. She immediately bowed even lower than her master. "I apologize, Kuen-sama. I meant no disrespect."

"Hmm, yes. Well, stop wasting my time and come here already. It's not like I can continue my meditations now, anyway."

Master Sushi and Sakura walked out onto the courtyard and circled around to face the old master. Sakura tried to stand as tall and straight as she possibly could while Master Kuen studied her as if she were a fish and he was trying to decide whether to keep her or throw her back in the ocean.

"Hmm, she has much water. I'm sure she is a fine Tai Chi martial artist. But not much earth. No, not much at all."

"More than me, I am sure," injected Master Sushi.

"Yes … well. You were the exception." Master Kuen held out his hand. "Come here Xiǎo Xi. Give me your hand."

Sakura hesitate a moment but then stepped forward and held out her hand.

The old man took it roughly, studying it and turning it over in his hand. "Hmm, not much earth, but enough to work with." He let her hand go and gave a dismissive gesture, letting Sakura know she was given permission to return next to her master. She scowled slightly but stepped back nonetheless. "Ueda, I came to this island to enjoy my retirement in peace. Why do you want me to take on a student now?" the old man grumbled

Master Sushi bowed again, "My humblest apologies, Master. I would not think of interrupting your meditations. However, Sakura-chan has proven to be an exceptional martial artist. Truly a prodigy of the likes I have never encountered. It is my sincerest wish that she learn from you. I am certain she will not disappoint you."

Master Kuen rubbed his chin pensively. "You have always been quick to praise, but that is truly high praise even coming from you." He rubbed his chin some more, then slapped his knee and stood up. "Very well, Ueda you may go." He turned and walked out of the courtyard.

Master Sushi bowed one last time and started to leave. Sakura followed beside him, but he suddenly stopped and said, "Follow Kuen-sama, your training begins now."

Sakura saw that the old master had gone down a different hallway. She nodded and went after him.

Seeing a door that had been left open and no sign of the master, she walked to it and looked inside. It was the dojo, smaller than Master Sushi's but unmistakable. Master Kuen stood in the middle of the room with his eyes closed, deep in breathing meditation.

"Are you going to keep me wait all day, Xiǎo Xi?" he said firmly.

"Ah!" Sakura stepped inside and slid the door closed, then went and stood in front of him. "Sorry, Kuen-sama."

The old man groaned. "You Japanese and your honorifics. It is so annoying. Drop the 'sama' will you? It gets on my nerves."

Sakura's eyes went wide. "Ah … v-very well, K-Kuen?" it felt so awkward to address a master in such an informal way.

The old man sighed and opened his eyes. "Very well, if you feel you must, call me Sifu Kuen."

Sakura bowed, "Yes, Sifu Kuen. Aaa – Sifu Kuen?"

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"What does Sifu mean? And for that matter, what does Xiǎo Xi mean as well?"

"Sifu is master, and Xiǎo Xi is tiny rhinoceros. I will call you that until you deserve to be called otherwise. Now, Ueda seems to think you are something special. A prodigy of some sort. We shall see. Assume a horse stance! Wider! ..."

.

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To Be Continued …


	11. Chapter 11: Melancholy

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere. My thanks to my beta-reader, Kim, who not only does an excellent job, but a fast one too.

Author's Notes: My deepest apologies for taking so very long to update this story. Work has been overwhelming and I've have painfully little time to write. The good news is that I've already started on chapter 12 so I hope to have it in much less time than it has taken me to post this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

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Chapter 11: Melancholy

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Akane and Ryoga spent many quiet evenings together. For her part, Akane did not feel like talking because inevitably the conversations would work their way to Ranma, and as long as they did not talk about him, Akane could convince herself that Ryoga believed Ranma was still alive, like she did. During these quiet times, she grew accustom to wearing a thinly veiled smile to hide her melancholy while appreciating Ryoga's silent company. Her thoughts were ever on Ranma, and wondering to herself where he could possibly be.

For his part, Ryoga never did know what to say around girls. With Akane or Akari, it was no different, and he assumed Akane's silence was her way of grieving for Ranma's passing. So Ryoga was doubly at a loss for words. Oh sure, Akane put up a good front, always saying she believed Ranma was still alive, but how could she still hold out hope when he had proven that the girl that was Akane's last hope for being Ranma, was really a girl. No, she was in mourning now, or at least that is what he convinced himself. And if so, what could he say to comfort her? How could he ease her pain? No, he was not a man of words. He was a man of action, and the best action he could think to do for her right now was simply to keep her company and offer her his silent support. So that is what he did. He stayed close by and willed his strength to her. He even enrolled in her high school so he could stay close to her. Of course, that did not work out quite as he had planned since he was assigned to a different classroom. But at least he was nearby in case she needed him.

The final bell of the day sounded and Ryoga, guided by one of his classmates, headed over to Akane's classroom. The students were making their way out of the room but Ryoga knew that Akane was never in a rush to leave so he waited a moment while a large group filed out the door before he entered.

"Akane-san, are you ready to go home?" But Ryoga did not see her at her desk.

"Akane-chan is not here."

"Huh?" Ryoga turned to see Yuka with Sayuri coming up behind her. "She left already?"

"Not exactly," said Yuka.

"She went down to the gym. The captain of the girl's basketball team asked Akane-chan if she could substitute for one of the girls who is out sick," Sayuri informed him.

"Oh."

"We're heading down there right now to watch the game. Care to join us?" Yuka asked, giving Sayuri a knowing look.

"I-if you don't mind?" Ryoga blushed slightly. He had gotten lost 3 times this week already trying to find the gym on his own.

"Of course not, Ryoga-kun." They each hooked an arm under his arms and guided him along giggling and exchanging meaningful glances with each other.

.

Sayuri and Yuka sat in the first row, cheering on the team and yelling words of encouragement to Akane who was leading the game in scoring. Ryoga chose to sit further up in the stands, offering his silent support and casting an encouraging smile whenever Akane happened to look his way, which wasn't often, especially after the game started. Still, his heart soared each time Akane did manage a moment's glance.

"You know, she'd see you more often if you sat court side like Yuka-chan and Sayuri-chan."

Ryoga looked over and nearly jumped out of his skin seeing Nabiki sitting next to him. "How long have you been here?" he asked.

"Oh, at least the last three times Akane looked this way. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm pretty sure she was smiling at me and not at you."

Ryoga's heart sank.

"You know, Ryoga-kun, if you want Akane to start seeing you as more than just a friend, you need to drop the strong silent act and take a more active approach." Nabiki cupped her crossed leg and casually swung her foot.

"How dare you. To suggest that I am but acting in a covert attempt to steal the innocent and pure Akane-san's heart. I won't hear of it." Ryoga started to stand but Nabiki tugged on his shirt and he allowed himself to drop back down.

"Easy tiger. No reason to get all bent out of shape. You want to keep believing you're the noble, righteous gentleman who is only trying to help his best friend's fiancee through her emotional loss. That's fine with me. I don't care. What I do care about is my sister. Seeing her emotionally trapped by her misguided belief that Ranma is still alive is taking its toll on her. She needs to move on and I'm willing to help you help her move forward; even if you are a two-timer."

Ryoga pushed his chest up. "Two-timer? How dare yo-"

"Talk to Akari-chan recently, or have you broken up with her?" Nabiki knew the answer already. She had overheard his phone conversation with Akari, just the other day. She heard him apologize for not coming to see her in so long but added that it would be some time still before he could get away. Though he did not tell her why he could not come see her.

Ryoga fell silent.

"Hmm, I thought not. Not that I care. So, you want my help, or are you forever going to be sitting at the top of the bleachers, offering Akane your _**silent support**_ from a distance … while others take a more active role." Nabiki gestured down court side. The game had just ended and with Akane's help the team won easily. Akane was accepting thanks from the team and coach. Then her friends came up to her and were congratulating her, along with several boys from her class. Akane was smiling and talking to all of them. Seeing her laugh along with everyone else at one of the boy's comments made Ryoga feel like he had just been kicked in the stomach.

"So how do you propose to help?"

"Take Akane out on a date."

"A d-date … with A-Akane-san?" Ryoga's face turned red. "I-I couldn't-"

"Don't worry. I'll make it easy on you. It will be a double date. You and Akane with me and Kamo-kun." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a set of tickets. "And I have the perfect date, a concert."

"A concert?" Ryoga accepted the tickets from her and read them. "Miranda? I've never heard of them."

"They're a band from Argentina, and Akane's favorite."

"Really?" Ryoga gave Nabiki a very surprised look. "A foreign band?"

"What? You think I'm lying?" Nabiki looked seriously offended.

"Ah, No! Not at all. I'm just surprised. That's all. I never heard Akane mention them before." Ryoga looked back down at the tickets.

"Well, I'm not surprised." Nabiki stood up and brushed out the wrinkles in her uniform.

"You're not?" Ryoga looked back up.

"It's not like Akane has been able to get herself to listen to much music lately."

"Oh … right." He looked back down at the tickets. "All right. I'll take her … ah, along with you and your boyfriend that is."

"Great! That will be twenty-five thousand yen." Nabiki put her hand out.

"Twenty-five thousand!" Ryoga sprang up. "Are you mad?"

Nabiki held her hand to the side of her mouth and whispered. "Keep your voice down."

Ryoga looked around and noticed several people stopped and stared at them. He sank back down and whispered back through gritted teeth. "I don't have that kind of money."

"Well," Nabiki tapped her chin, thoughtfully. "You can pay me in installments, I guess. Ten thousand now, and five thousand each week till the concert."

"I guess … but …" He looked at the tickets again. "That would mean I'm paying thirty thousand for the tickets."

"Credit fee." Nabiki replied. "It's only fair. That's money I could have spent on something else if I hadn't spent it on the tickets already."

"I guess." Ryoga grumbled.

"Trust me. Akane will love it and you'll be one step closer to being able to tell her how you feel about her." She held out her hand again.

He grumbled again, then dug in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Grudgingly, painfully, he counted out 10 one-thousand yen bills into her hand, and while he stuffed his wallet back in his pocket, Nabiki slipped the tickets from his other hand.

"I'll hold onto these for safe keeping."

Ryoga jumped up but before he could reach for them, she unbuttoned the top of her blouse and slipped the tickets under her bra. His face turned bright red and he staggered back falling between the benches.

"You better hurry or Akane will be heading home without you." Nabiki said over her shoulder as she made her way down the bleachers.

"Oh!" Ryoga grabbed his bag and spring down to the gym floor.

.

"Sorry for taking so long to get ready." Akane said briskly as she and Ryoga walked home.

"Oh, … not a problem." Ryoga grinned stupidly. "Think nothing of it, Akane-san."

She smiled. "I have to admit, it felt good doing something active again. I kind of missed it."

Ryoga continued grinning.

Tired of forcing a smile, Akane's melancholy expression returned as they fell into a silent walk.

Desperate to make conversation, Ryoga blurted out, "CONCERTINAMONTH!"

Akane stopped and gave him a puzzled look. "Excuse me?"

"Aah..." Beads of sweat began trailing down Ryoga's face. "W-what I mean to say … or rather … what I meant to say … that is … favorite band … in a month … here … in Japan … in Tokyo … aah ..."

"Oh, your going to a concert next month?" She offered him a faint grin. "That should be fun."

Ryoga's smile faltered. "Yeah, … should be." He hung his head and they walked the rest of the way home in silence.

.

.

"HA! HAIA! HA!"

Having completed her form, Sakura took a knot stance and bowed.

"Excellent! That was perfect, Xiǎo Iaohǔ (little tiger), you have truly come a long way in just a few short weeks. In fact, I can honestly say I have never had a student learn as quickly as you. Ueda was absolutely correct. You truly are a prodigy."

Sakura bowed low. "Thank you, Sifu Kuen. You are too generous with your praise."

"Not at all." He assured her. "You are almost ready to start learning how to control the earth beneath you. Just a few more weeks at most."

"Will you be teaching me how to manipulate the earth, Sifu Kuen?"

"No. That is a skill only Ueda has learned." He bent over and picked up a towel and tossed it to Sakura. "I have no doubt I could learn it, but I have no interest in chucking rocks around."

Sakura had no doubt either. Master Kuen was a tough, no-nonsense master but he was also a brilliant martial artist. And age had not diminished his abilities in the least.

"Are you ready for your next lesson, Xiǎo Iaohǔ?" Master Kuen assumed the horse stance.

Sakura bowed, and took her stance. "Yes, Sifu Kuen!"

.

.

"Ahem, Akane-san, would you like to go to a concert with me?" Ryoga held an imaginary pair of tickets out towards his picture of Akane he had propped up on the table. "I heard they were your favorite group." He gave a forced laugh. "Oh, who told me they were your favorite?" He scratched his head. "Aaaa-little bird told me, yeah." He laughed louder this time. "HA HA HA HA-aaaaah" He hung his head and sighed. "It's no use. I just can not get up the nerve to ask Akane-san."

"There you are," said Nabiki, poking her head in the spare room before walking in.

Ryoga fell face first into the floor. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

Nabiki reached back and rapped on the door frame. She held up the tickets in one hand and held out her other. "The last five thousand and they are all yours."

Ryoga sat with his head hung low. "Forget it. I'm not going." He groaned.

Nabiki's eye's opened wide, but she quickly recovered her usual poise. "Okay, but Akane's going to be mighty disappointed over missing this concert."

Ryoga lowered his head even further. "How can she miss something she doesn't know about?"

"Doesn't know about?" A puzzled expression played across Nabiki's face, but in a moment realization replaced it and she pressed her fists upon her hips. "Wait a minute. Don't tell me you never even asked her?"

Ryoga's head thumped on the floor.

"Ugh! And you call yourself a man. Do you know where Akane is right now?"

Ryoga mumbled, "the dojo, I think."

Nabiki spun about and headed for the dojo. Sure enough, Akane was in her karate outfit, training vigorously as ever with beads of sweat dotting her face.

"Akane!" Nabiki walked in and headed straight for her sister.

"Aaiahh!" Akane stumbled in the middle of a high kick and fell over. "Nabiki, you know better than to interrupt me while I'm training."

Her sister ignored her protests. "Here." She grabbed Akane's hand and placed the tickets in it. "Ryoga wants to take you to a concert. You better go take a bath now or we'll be late."

Akane looked at the tickets. "It's today? Why didn't Ryoga say anything about this before?"

"Who knows." Nabiki checked her watch. "But Kamo-kun will be here to pick us up at seven, so you better hurry up." She turned and walked out the dojo, just as Ryoga was running in. "Five." She held out her hand.

Ryoga looked past her and saw Akane sitting on the floor with the tickets in hand. He pulled out his wallet and handed her the money. Nabiki smiled and walked away. Ryoga watched her leave then walked in the dojo and knelt down beside Akane. He stared at her staring at the tickets.

After a few moment Akane looked over at him. "Why didn't you tell me, Ryoga?"

His lips quivered a moment, then he bowed all the way to the floor. "I am so sorry for not asking you myself, Akane-san. Please forgive me."

She smiled. "There's no need to apologize. If anyone should apologize, it should be me. You were trying to ask me to go with you to the concert after the basketball game, weren't you?"

He, unable to look her in the eye, gave a hesitant sideways nod.

"I could be pretty thick sometimes." She forced an exaggerated laugh but fell silent after a moment. Staring down at the tickets, she added. "So, you like foreign music?"

With his spirits lifted slightly, Ryoga again gave a sideways nod.

"Never cared too much for them, myself. _Miranda! _Hmm, I think this is Nabiki's favorite. Well, I guess they're worth a listen." Akane spring to her feet. "I'll just wash up and be ready in a few minutes." She stopped at the door and turned back towards Ryoga, who was still facing where she had just been sitting. "Thanks for inviting me, Ryoga." Then she ran off.

"Nabiki's favorite?" His face slowly turned fiery red.

Upstairs in her room, Nabiki was putting the finishing touches on her makeup and perfume when her door burst open.

"Don't you know it is rude to enter a lady's room without permission," she said calmly.

Ryoga ignored her completely. "You lied to me! You said that band was Akane-san's favorite, but they are your favorite!" Steam rose from his head. "You got me to pay for tickets to a concert you wanted to go to, not Akane-san!"

Nabiki checked her lipstick one last time then turned around. "What does it matter? She agreed to go out with you, didn't she? Whether she enjoys the concert or not, really doesn't make a difference either. What's important is that she has a good time with you. So smile a lot, laugh when she laughs, and just loosen up." She stood up and checked herself in the mirror. Satisfied with what she saw, she checked her watch, then picked up her shoes and headed for the door. "Are you going to move, or do you expect me to squeeze past you." She pushed out her chest and gave Ryoga a wicked smile.

Ryoga blushed a bright cherry red and stumbled out the door, hitting the wall and sliding down to the floor. Nabiki pulled the door closed behind her and grinned down at the hapless young man. "You should really get ready as well. Kamo-kun will be here any minute now." And she headed down the stairs.

.

In the limousine ride to the concert, Kamo and Nabiki joked and laughed. Akane laughed occasionally but spent most of her time staring out the car. Ryoga tried to join in when Akane laughed and though he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, he never seemed to notice in time. On multiple occasions, he found himself laughing alone with the other three just staring at him, wondering if it really took him that long to get the joke.

After a particularly long stretch of silence, Kamo spoke, "So, Ryoga-san, Nabiki-chan tells me you are a martial artist. Is that right?"

It took a moment for Ryoga to realize he was being addressed. "Ah, y-yes, that's right."

Kamo nodded. "So, are you a student at the Tendo Dojo?"

"Um... no..." was the extent of Ryoga's reply.

Realizing this was not going well, Nabiki intervened. "Ryoga is a self-trained martial artist," she explained. "Isn't that right, Ryoga?"

"Yes, well... mostly. I've had different teachers from time to time but I don't have anyone I would refer to as my master. And I do train on my own most of the time." Now Ryoga was in his element. Talking about martial arts was the next best thing to engaging in martial arts, and his many travels and adventures gave Ryoga plenty to talk about.

Kamo nodded. "That's amazing. You've truly lived an interesting life. And to have gone through all of that without a master to guide and train you. It must have been very difficult."

"Not really. You see, I've always felt that the best training is actual combat. That's why I challenge the best fighters from dojos everywhere I go. It helps make me a better fighter."

"And why you challenged Ranma so often?"

Ryoga looked over and saw Akane looking at him with that melancholy look of hers. They locked eyes for a moment. Why he challenged Ranma so often. Was that the real reason he battled Ranma so much? Being honest with himself, he knew the answer was no. He blamed Ranma for stealing his joy, his chance to be normal, his chance for happiness; but how could he possibly say this to Akane who was morning his passing? So instead he nodded. "Yes, Ranma was the best martial artist I've ever fought."

The car fell silent for a time, while Ryoga stared down at his hands. Akane leaned forward and placed her hands over his. He looked up and their eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity in Ryoga's heart. Finally, Akane leaned back and smiled then went back to looking out the window.

The lines to get into the TokyoDome circled the facility from every gate. Even the VIPs attending the concert sat in a line of limos which inched forward little by little.

After entering the stadium, they proceeded to the open area right in front of the stage. The crew was still setting things up on stage. The Dome was already three-quarters full. Never one to let her emotions get the better of her, Nabiki was having a hard time containing her excitement.

"This is so cool!" She beamed happily.

"Nothing's too good for my Nabiki-chan." Kamo leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Especially not four stage front tickets to your favorite band." He wrapped one arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze.

Ryoga, who was not actually paying attention, could not help but overhear that last comment. He shot Nabiki a look but she was too excited looking up at the stage and all around the stadium to notice.

"Nabiki made you pay for two of the tickets, didn't she?" Akane said to him.

"Ahem, … well … " As usual Ryoga was at a loss for words around Akane.

"Don't worry." She gave his arm a squeeze and smiled up at him. "I'll get your money back."

Ryoga's heart melted. "Th-that's okay … as long as you're having a good time, I don't mind."

The concert started a half hour later. The warmup band, a relatively new band from Osaka, was surprisingly good as they got the audience charged up and in the mood. Ryoga, who had never been to a concert before, could not imagine the main act, Miranda!, being much better. He stole a glance over at Akane every so often. He was pleased to see her smiling and generally having a good time. He could not be happier. Suddenly, the stage went completely dark and a buzz of energy radiated around the stadium. Then the stage lit up, the music began to play and the place exploded with cheers and screams. Ryoga was completely taken by surprise. Never had he experienced anything quite like this. He looked over and saw Nabiki jumping up and down, thoroughly enjoying herself. Kamo, while not as animated as Nabiki, looked to be having a good time as well.

While he could not understand a word the band was saying, the energy of their performance was electrifying and Ryoga found himself, like the crowd all around him, moving to the beat of the music. He leaned over and yelled to Nabiki, "Do all bands act out their music like this?"

"NO!" she responded. "This is one of the things they are famous for!"

Ryoga nodded. "I see!" He was enjoying himself much more than he ever imagined he would. The energy from the band and the crowd was intoxicating, and he was feeding off of it. He looked over and saw Akane moving to the beat of the music as well. A smile spread across his face.

Four songs into the set, Ryoga was bouncing up and down, and singing along with the chorus even though he didn't really know the words and was sure he sounded like a dying rooster. But the music was so loud and everyone around him was singing along too; he was certain no one could actually hear him, anyway.

The seventh song was a love ballet. Glancing over at Nabiki and her boyfriend, Ryoga saw him standing behind Nabiki with his arms around her waist. They were swaying in time with the music. For a brief instance, Ryoga pictured himself doing the same thing with Akane. His face turned bright red. _I could never do anything like that with Akane-san. But still …perhaps we could just hold hands._ He squeezed his eyes shut. _Be strong, Ryoga Hibiki, be strong._ He opened his eyes and looked over towards Akane. He started to reach for her hand but stopped short. Something was not right. Then it occurred to him. She was not moving with the music like everyone else. He inched forward a bit to get a clear look at her face. She had that all too familiar mournful expression. That look that could only mean one thing. _She is thinking of Ranma. _He sighed and hung his head.

Ryoga did not know how much time passed when he suddenly felt a tug on his arm. He looked over to see Akane staring up at him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

He wanted to ask her that very same question, but instead he forced a grin and shock his head. Then he asked, "are you having a good time?"

Akane gave him a faint smile. "Yeah, I am." She hugged his arm and began to sway with the music.

Ryoga's heart swelled. He could not remember ever being as happy as he was this very moment.

.

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It was already dark but Sakura refused to give up. She had spent the past five hours trying to move a small rock in the middle of the secluded field Master Sushi had taken her to before. He sat, quietly meditating behind her, providing instruction and encouragement. However, no matter what she tried, the rock would not move.

Suddenly, Master Sushi was snapped out of his meditation by a sudden wave of energy which hit him like a powerful rush of boiling hot water. He turned to see Sakura glowing a fiery red, her ki glowing all around her. "Sakura" he whispered. She performed a rapid series of maneuvers, ending with her fists slamming together followed by a punch out in front of her.

Slowly, Sakura's ki drew smaller and eventually abated. Master Sushi got up and walked over to the rock. Pulling out a flashlight from his pocket, he studied the ground. "You shattered it." He looked up and smiled at her. "You completely destroyed the rock."

Sakura's shoulders drooped low and she hung her head, and said, "I was trying to make it roll, not destroy it."

He gave a mild chuckle. "Well, at least you got something to happen. That's the first step." He held out the flashlight for her to take. "Let's head home. It's late."

She took it from him and searched for the opening in the bushes.

Making it out of the forest, they continued along the trail to the middle of town. The small town was closed for the night. It was completely dark save for the two street lights, one on each end of the main street and the barber pole which Imai left on all the time. "It's so quiet," observed Sakura. Just then loud voices began drawing closer from down one of the small side streets. As Sakura and Master Sushi drew close, the voices grew louder, but they could not make out what they were saying.

Four man with empty liquor bottles in their hands came staggering around the corner, laughing and speaking much louder than they needed to. Sakura gave Master Sushi a sideways look.

"Sailors, from one of the merchant ships docked at the port," he answered her unasked question.

In a slurred foreign tongue, the men spoke.

"You ashole! I tol you de bar woun't be opn! Now, we r ou ah booze an by de time we ge back to de ship, Stew wll beee asheep an we won' be abal to ge anyfin! Na evn beeer!"

"Nooone say-ed yoou had doo coom! Yoou cood hve shhay-ed on doo ship! Soo doon' bame me, yoou ash!"

"Haay, guys! Looky! Locals! May-be they-y know where wee can ge some-ing to driink!"

They staggered over towards Sakura and Master Sushi. One of them held up an empty bottle. "Say! Where can we ge somethin to drink in thish shiddy liddle down?" His eyes looked over at the short redhead. "Sa-ay! You're cude! Want to leave this skinny cripple and come with ush? We can have some fun dogether!" He turned to his friends. "Look, she'sh a cuddie, no?"

"Noo shi! She'sh hoot! Niish big tits, tooo!"

"Comeon shueeeddie! Come wiff ush!" The sailor reached out to grab Sakura's arm, but with little effort she side-stepped him and gave him a slight shove in the back which sent him tumbling to the pavement. She took a fighting stance and readied herself to take on the others.

"SAY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR? BITCH!" One of the other sailor, who suddenly got very sober, stepped forward gripping his bottle like a club.

Master Sushi stepped in front of Sakura, and letting his cane fall to the ground, held up his hand, palm out. "Now, now gentlemen. No reason to get upset. It's late, your tired and I'm sure you just want to get back to your boat. The port is that way." He pointed up the street. "It will not take you but a few minutes to get back to your boat." "BOAT" He repeated in English.

One of the two sailors helping up their friend, said. "He thinks we want to know where our ship is." "SHIP! BOAT!" He added in English.

Master Sushi nodded and pointed up the street again. "BOAT" "Yes, your boat is that way, and besides, it gets very windy at night on this island. You would be safer, returning to your boat."

Sakura got the hint and performing the forms as inconspicuously as she could caused a series of strong gusts to blow through the street.

The one sailor stared suspiciously at Master Sushi for a minute until his friend grabbed him by the elbow. "Come on. Let's get back to the ship. It's getting too windy." He glanced over at Sakura then turned back to his friend. "We'll be at these islands long enough to get another shot at her. Let's go now."

The sailor relented. "Fine." He faked a smile, and pointed up the street. "BOAT" He nodded, then followed his friend. The four of them helping each other up the street.

Master Sushi and Sakura watched the sailors for a few minutes before turning and heading down the street. "I could have handled all four of them." Sakura said with a hint of anger in her voice. "I wasn't afraid."

Master Sushi smiled. "I know. I didn't step in to protect you. I stepped in to protect them. They were just some drunk sailors, and they had no idea who they were tangling with. I just didn't want you doing something you might regret later."

Sakura looked away for a moment then turned back and smiled up at her master. "Are you hungry? Would you like me to make some rice when we get home?"

His smile grew. "Mmm, not hungry really. Some tea would be nice."

Sakura nodded. "All right. We can have the sweet buns I bought this morning, with the tea."

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Akane, Nabiki, Ryoga, and Kamo stood in a short line of people who were each waiting for their limousine to pull up. The air was crisp but unseasonably warm for January. People were still pouring out of the stadium, yelling and singing. Kamo wrapped his arms around Nabiki from behind and gave her a great big hug.

"Mmm!" He nuzzled her neck causing her to giggle. "That was amazing. I never thought I could enjoy a foreign band so much."

Nabiki kissed Kamo on the cheek. "Told you." She leaned back into him. "What about you, Akane?"

"Hmm?" Akane looked up from studying her feet.

"What did you think of the concert?"

"Oh. It was … very nice."

"Nice?" Nabiki glared. "Folk music is nice. Christmas Carols are nice."

Akane went wide-eyed. She could not remember the last time Nabiki snapped at her like this. "Well, to tell you the truth, … Some of their lyrics were … well, … crude."

Nabiki shook her head. "You're such a prude, Akane."

Ryoga went wide-eyed. "You understood what they were singing? I didn't know you spoke Spanish."

"There were subtitles on the jumbo screens." Nabiki said.

"Jumbo screens?" Ryoga looked confused.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Oh my God."

"On either side of the stage" Akane explained. "They had giant sized screens showing the performance. All of the songs included Japanese subtitles. But maybe you're right, Ryoga-kun. Maybe it would have been best not to know what they were singing about. Then I wouldn't have a reason to act like a prude." She shot a look at her sister who returned the look right back at her.

Nabiki turned around in Kamo's arms and rested her head upon his chest.

Ryoga felt lost. Looking from Akane to Nabiki, he had not the faintest idea what he should do or say, so he just stayed quiet.

Suddenly, Nabiki straightened up. "Let's go to the Womb!" 

"The what?" Akane asked.

"The Womb. It's one of the hottest nightclubs in the world, and it's right nearby in Shibuya." Nabiki explained, then turned back to Kamo. "Well?" She bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly.

"But, your sister and Ryoga-san are underage still." Kamo said.

"Nothing a small bribe can't fix." Nabiki tilted her head down a bit and batted her eyes up at him while puffing out her lips slightly in an adorable pout.

Kamo sighed. "Ohhh, all right."

"Mmm, great!" she leaned in and kissed him then turned around. "You guys will come, right?"

Ryoga looked over at Akane.

Akane looked from Nabiki to Ryoga, then back to her sister. "Ahem … y-yeah … sure."

"Great." Smiled Nabiki. Just then their limo pulled up and they headed for Shibuya.

.

While Kamo and Nabiki sipped champagne, Ryoga and Akane drank ginger ale. From their booth, they could see almost the entire club. It was much larger than Akane expected, with neon lights everywhere, and wall to wall people all moving to the beat of the blaring music.

"Isn't this place great?" Nabiki did not wait for an answer from anyone. She grabbed Kamo's hand and pulled him from the booth. "Come on. Let's dance. You don't mind watching my purse, do you, Akane?"

"That's fine. I'm not dancing anyway." She responded.

Ryoga was not sure how he should feel about Akane's reply. On the one hand, he really did want to dance with her, but on the other, he did not know how to dance and the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in front of her. To his surprise, Akane placed her hand over his. His eyes shot wide and tiny beads of sweat peppered his forehead.

"I just said that for Nabiki's sake. We can dance if you want," she said.

Ryoga didn't know whether to jump for joy or faint from panic. "But what about Nabiki-san's purse?"

Akane shrugged. "It's her own fault. She should have left it in the limo." She reached over and took Ryoga's arm and led him to the dance floor.

Ryoga was awkward and clumsy and looked completely ridiculous dancing, and he loved every minute of it. Holding Akane's hand and being able to stare at her constantly without being called out for it; it was a dream come true for the young martial artist. He could not remember ever being so happy as he was this very moment. Suddenly, the music slowed down and lots of people walked off the dance floor. He looked side to side, not understanding what was happening. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why is everyone leaving?"

Akane's cheeks turned bright rosy pink and she looked up at him sheepishly. "This is a slow dance, song."

Ryoga looked puzzled. "Slow dance?" He looked around again, noticing the way the people who remained on the dance floor were now dancing: arm in arm, pressed close together. He saw Nabiki dancing with her cheek resting on Kamo's chest with his one hand set low on her back and his other gently caressing her shoulder blades. "Aa-ah" He looked back at Akane. "S-should we go back to the table?" He wished she would say no, but feared she would say no at the same time.

A sense of relief filled her. "Yeah," she chuckled, "Let's head back." She took his hand and lead him to the booth. "What a surprise. Nabiki's purse is still here." They both gave a mild laugh then sat down and ordered two more ginger ales.

They sat quietly listening to the music and exchanging smiles every now and then. Though she was not really paying much attention, a song started which caught her attention.

"_Look up at the light of the stars in the night sky.  
Look up at the light of the stars in the night sky.  
Once, twice, the bell toll echoes, far and wide in the heart.  
Like in a story, stellar droplets fall and inside narrow tracks are built.  
In time, the times will move.  
The drifting stars will quietly move.  
Close your eyes, listen closely..."why?"  
G-O-O-D Bye!  
Release the light.  
Don't give up, be strong!  
Now let 'em out, until they reach someone.  
The light of Glory lies just beyond here, it's the story we all create together.  
Look up at the light of the stars in the night sky._

..."

Hearing the chores, she was reminded of her first date with Ranma and how they sat together on the roof of her house at the end of the day.

_**[ "I'd head out of our campsite, find a nice secluded place out over some ledge, and stay up all night long just staring at the stars. There were always so many out, and on a clear night it was almost like a thick covering of stars filled the air. Much more than are out now. It made me feel … so, very … So very small." He turned and faced her. "You know, like I was just this tiny, tiny speck in this great big universe, and it really didn't matter if I became a great martial artist or not, because in the whole grand scheme of things it just didn't make a difference." ]**_

Akane sighed. _ Ranma. What am I doing here? _She closed her eyes and remembered his smile, his laugh, his kindness that night.

"Akane-san? Is something wrong?"

She opened her eyes to see Ryoga looking at her with a worried expression. Normally, she would have faked a smile and said everything was fine, but everything was not fine. She felt so out of place here. It all felt so wrong. "I'm sorry, Ryoga. I have to go." She got up and grabbed her sister's purse.

On the dance floor she tapped Nabiki on the shoulder. "I have to go." And handed her the purse. Ryoga came rush up behind Akane.

"What is wrong, Akane-san?" Concern etched on Kamo's face.

"Nothing. I just have to go." She forced a smile.

"Akane, come on. Whatever it is, can't it wait till tomorrow?" Nabiki gave her sister an exasperated look.

"I'll text my driver and have him take you home." Kamo pulled out his phone and started doing just that.

"No, that's okay. I'll just take the train. It's not far from here. Thank you for a wonderful evening, Kamo-kun." She turned to Nabiki and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, Oneechan." Then she turned and did the same to Ryoga. "Thank you, Ryoga-kun. I … Thank you." And she turned and left.

Ryoga stood with his hand over his cheek, unable to move or speak.

Finally, Nabiki snapped him out of it. "Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going after her?"

"Huh?" He was confused but not so confused as to not know what to do next. He worked his way towards the exit. Out in the street, he looked up and down the block. It was very crowded being a Friday night but luck was on his side and he saw Akane rounding the corner. He rushed after her as fast as he could. He caught up with her and walked with her to the train station.

They stood in silence waiting for the train. Finally, Ryoga spoke. "It's about Ranma, isn't it?"

Akane looked over.

"It is time, Akane-san. It is time to move forward and leave Ranma behind."

Akane's anger flared up. "Ranma is not dead! Those ashes in that urn are not Ranma's!"

"Okay, maybe that is not Ranma. But even if it is not, even if he is still alive... why hasn't he come home? It's been over half a year. Don't you think he would have found his way back by now?"

Akane turned away. "I don't know why Ranma hasn't come home yet, … but … but I know he is still out there, … and … and he will find his way home, sooner or later. He will."

"Akane-san" Ryoga took a step towards her just as the train pulled into the station.

"I'd like to head home by myself, Ryoga-kun." She boarded the empty train car, leaving Ryoga standing at the station. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks all the way home.

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Sakura made her way through town to the path leading to her hidden training ground. She had taken to sneaking away every so often to get in extra training. She managed shatter a rock the last time she trained with Master Sushi even though she was trying to make it roll across the ground, and she was determined to impress him with her progress since then. She managed to levitate a large stone the last time she trained on her own, without manipulating the air around it. This time she was going to try and get one of the boulders to roll in a pattern she had made across the ground.

Unknown to her, at the very same time, the four sailors she and Master Sushi had encountered the other night were in town as well.

"This place is so boring. I can't wait till we leave for Sydney." One sailor said, tossing the fruit he was inspecting back in the pile he had grabbed it from.

"Well, that's not happening till tomorrow so quite your belly aching." Said another sailor.

"Say, wouldn't be great if we found that girl we met the other night? You know, that cute bitch with that cripple." Said the third sailor.

"Yeah, but what are the chances we'll see her again before we leave?" The first asked.

"Pretty damn good." The forth sailor pointed off in the distance. The others followed the direction of his finger and saw Sakura in her training outfit heading off down an unpaved road.

They each exchanged looks then casually made their way to the road.

Sakura had been sure to keep her guard up ever since her encounter with Ryoga, but today, she was so excited about getting in a really good training session that she was utterly oblivious of the four men following her through the forest. Emerging from the thick overgrowth into the training ground, Sakura rushed over to a large bolder and immediately began performing a Kung Fu form. To her disappointment, the bolder only rocked back for forth a little bit. The young martial artist hung her head and let her shoulders roll forward while letting out a long agonizing sigh.

"Don't get down on yourself." She straightened up and took her stance again. "Focus. Don't give up."

"What are you doing little one, fighting that rock."

Sakura jumped and spun about. A moment of fear washed over her but she quickly pushed it away and took a fighting stance. "What do you want? What are you doing here?"

"Easy, easy girl." They walked closer, spreading out and circling around her. "We just want to have a little fun, that's all. No one needs to get hurt." The other three laughed.

Sakura took in a deep breath and attacked.

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The sun was low on the horizon, casting long shadows throughout Master Sushi's house when the master returned home from his trip to the main island. Sliding the door shut, he called out, "I'm back home!"

He started walking down the hall. "Sakura-chan! Are you home?" _Hmm, she must be out with Hitomi-sensei._ As he passed Sakura's room, he heard what sounded like muffled sobs. "Sakura-chan?" He peered in the room which was largely concealed in shadows. In the far corner he saw her sitting with her knees pulled up tight, her arms rapped around her legs and her face buried low. "Sakura-chan?" He make his way as quickly as he could towards her." He set his canes on the floor and knelt down next to her. Seeing her this close even in the darkness, he could make out the rips and dirt stains all over her workout outfit. "Sakura-chan, what happened?"

She slowly looked up. Tears were running down her face. "I... I..." She buried her face again and cried loudly.

Master Sushi wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Slowly, Sakura's tears subsided and she gradually regained her composure. Wiping her eyes roughly, she began to speak. "I went to the training grounds to practice my earth training." She took a few deep breaths and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "I didn't notice the sailors following me."

"Sailors? You mean the sailors we ran into the other night?"

She nodded. "They followed me. They wanted to … they wanted to …" Her voice began to tremble.

Master Sushi's eyes flared in rage and his ki glowed fiery red about him. "Did they hurt you, Sakura-chan? Did they-"

But before he could go on, Sakura shook her head vigorously. "No. They tried, but I fought them off easily enough. But it seemed the more I beat them the madder they got. Finally, I managed to knock all four of them out, but I stumbled on a rock and fell, and hit my head on a rock too. It knocked me out for a few minutes a think. When I came to, they were on top of me, trying to pull off my clothes." Sakura tears began to fall again. "I lost it. I lost control. I screamed and threw them off me, and then … then ..."

Master Sushi gently stroked her head, feeling for any lumps. "Then?"

"Then … I was sending rocks flying at them from all directions."

Master Sushi gave her a sideways look. "You mean you manipulated the wind to hurl the rocks at them."

Sakura shook her head. "No, no, I didn't control the wind. I was controlling the rocks themselves. And then," she paused and drew in a long, deep breath. "I … I made the ground open up and swallow them all up." Sakura buried her face again. "I killed them." She wept. "I killed them. I'm a murderer. I used the beautiful and powerful art you taught me to kill four innocent people."

"They were hardly innocent, Sakura-chan." Master Sushi assured her.

"They had no idea what I was capable of." She wiped her eyes again. "I have to go turn myself in to Keisatsukan Yukito-kun." She started to get up but Master Sushi gently placed his hands upon her shoulders and guided her back down.

"Why don't you let me go to the training grounds and see if they are really dead or not. Maybe they are just unconscious."

"You, you think so? You really think they might still be alive?" Sakura looked up to Master Sushi with a hopeful expression.

Master Sushi grabbed his canes and stood up. "I'll have Hitomi-sensei come by to help you get cleaned up and I'll be back shortly." Then he walked out of the room, down the hall and out the front door.

.

The loose ground began to shift and chunks of dirt were being tossed upward as hands reach up along with heads that coughed for air. One by one each of the sailors pulled themselves up, crawling out from their earthen traps and dragged themselves free across the ground.

"What the hell happened?"

"Was it that bitch that did this to us?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to beat the shit out of that little whore when I find her."

"I don't know what it is you are saying, but I'm pretty sure it is not anything nice."

They turned to see Master Sushi standing at the entrance of the training grounds.

"It's the cripple. Where is the girl? Tell us now or we'll beat the shit out of you too!"

Master Sushi tossed his canes to the ground and after performing some fluid hand movements, the winds began to kick up violently. "Sakura-chan was concerned that she may have used her power over the elements to inadvertently kill each of you. This was something a gentle soul like Sakura-chan could not bare. I, on the other hand, have no qualms using the elements to take your lives after what you tried to do to Sakura-chan."

Being deep in the heart of the jungle, there was no one near enough to hear the howls of agony and cries for mercy from the four sailors, or the sudden silence that followed. Neither was there anyone around to see the long but narrow wave that rose up from the rocky shoreline all the way through the jungle to wash the training grounds clean and send the bodies deep beneath the ocean floor.

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To Be Continued...

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AN: Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and found it worth the wait. I will do my best not to take so long with the next chapter. Oh, and in case you were wondering, my plan is to wrap this story up in 20 chapters so it is more than half way done now. Hope you will stick around for the rest.

A. Amishi


	12. Chapter 12: Sadness & Hate

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.

Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 4 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere.

Description: This story takes place after the end of the manga series. Akane and Ranma are each 17 years old and will be beginning their 2nd year of high school soon. Akane still has difficulty admitting her true feelings and Ranma is as big a jerk as ever, but when Ranma vanishes and turns up as a girl on a small tropical island with no memory of who he or she really is; both Akane and Ranma must learn new things about themselves. This story features most of the main characters we've all come to love and a handful of original characters.

AN: My deepest apologies for taking so very long to write and post this chapter. Though I have each chapter to this story outlined, coming up with the words to express this one were especially hard for me. That and starting a new job, traveling, having two of my children planning their weddings, and remodeling my kitchen has proved to be extremely time consuming. I hope to have the next chapter out sooner but only time will tell, so please be patient as you have been so far. Thank you all for sticking with my story. I really do appreciate it. And please leave some comments to let me know if this story continues to be entertaining. Thank you!

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Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello

Chapter 12: Sadness & Hate

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Hitomi poured the pitcher of hot water into the tube then helped ease Sakura down into it. "How is it? Did that take enough of the cold away?" She asked.

Sakura gave a faint nod. "It's fine." Her eyes stared blankly ahead of her.

Hitomi had never seen her friend like this; so lost, so fragile, so broken. She bit her lower lip and picked up the bath sponge. Working up a lather with the bar of soap she began to gently scrub away the layer of dirt that covered Sakura's body, taking special care over the bruises and cuts that marred the girl's skin.

She worked quietly, not knowing what to say to help ease her friend's pain. Telling her everything will be all right; that she was safe now just seemed so trite. Instead, she set the sponge aside and picked up the wash bowl, scooped up some water and poured it over Sakura, who gave a shiver.

"The water is too cold," said Hitomi. "I'll heat up another pitcher." She grabbed it and stood.

"It's fine, really." Sakura reassured her.

Hitomi shook her head. "You'll catch a cold. Don't worry. The stove is still hot; it will only take a minute."

"Onee-chan." Sakura said weakly.

Her friend paused at the door.

"Thank you for coming." She stared up at her with a vacant expression.

Hitomi smiled. "No need to thank me. You're my little sister, right?"

Sakura returned a weak but warm smile and gave a slight nod before lowering her head. "Shouldn't Sushi-sama be back by now? I mean, if those men were still alive, it shouldn't take that long to get them to their ship, should it?"

This gave Hitomi pause as she considered Sakura's estimation. Then she smiled. "Well, you know, Sakura-chan; the human body can survive a great deal of abuse."

Sakura's shoulders slumped lower and her expression became even more pained then it already was.

Hitomi's eyes widened in concern and she was next to her friend in an instant and taking hold of her shoulders, she whispered. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. Bad joke. I'm sure they're fine, really. I'm sure Sushi-sama will be back in a little bit and he'll say that they were fine. Trust me."

Sakura gave her a vacant stare. Hitomi pulled her friend into an embrace. "Oh, Sakura-chan." Hitomi held her close a few moments longer. "Now, I'll be back in a minute, you just sit tight, okay?"

"Mmm" Sakura nodded.

In the kitchen, Hitomi filled the copper pitcher with water from the pump by the window and placed it on the stove. She checked the fire and added a few extra coals for good measure, then waited. _What is taking Sushi-sama so long? Could something have really happened-"_

"Where is Sakura-chan?"

Hitomi let out a shriek. She turned to see Sushi Ueda standing less than a meter from her. Clutching her chest she let out a long breath. "Don't do that Sushi-sama."

He placed a hand upon her arm. "I'm sorry, Hitomi-sensei." He let his hand fall away and repeated his question. "Where is Sakura-chan?"

"She's taking a bath." Hitomi's eyes went wide. "The water." She turned and dipped her pinky into the pitcher. It was just beginning to warm up. Relaxing a bit, she asked, "So how were the men? Are they alive?"

Sushi stared out the small window of the kitchen; a cold, hard look overcame his features. "They were." Sushi answered.

"Were?"

He seemed to just take notice of his friend, as if she had just materialized out of thin air. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. How is Sakura-chan doing? Is she all right?"

Hitomi tried to read his expression, but it was one she had not seen for several years and even then she was not sure if it was quite the same as that time so long ago. "Physically, she's not too bad. Some bruises and cuts, but nothing that will not heal. Emotionally, she's shaken. She's not herself right now." She paused a moment debating whether to mention Sakura's concern. "She asked about the men. She fears for their lives."

Sushi's expression darkened. "She needn't worry about the likes of those men." He began to turn.

"Sushi-sama, you didn't…" Hitomi squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "You didn't kill them, did you?"

He stopped and stared at the wall. "And what if I had?"

She drew in a sharp breath. "Oh, Sushi-sama."

"Men like that don't deserve to live. Their own shipmates didn't care about them. They set sail without even inquiring to the police about their whereabouts. No one will care what happened to them; drunken, perverted bastards."

"Sushi-sama." A look of total disbelief washed over Hitomi. "Drunken sailors are nothing new to this island. It's the only real problem the people on this island have to worry about other than the sea. You've dealt with them before but never … never …"

Sushi turned his dark gaze upon Hitomi. "You will not tell Sakura-chan."

Never in all the years that they knew each other had Sushi ever looked upon her with such danger in his eyes. _The eyes of a murderer, s_he thought.

"Did you hear me?" He said coldly.

Hitomi returned his cold expression. _Why am I the keeper of everyone's secrets? _"I heard you." She turned back to the water. "If Sakura-chan learns of what you have done, it will not be from me." She grabbed a heat-pad and picked up the pitcher. "I need to get this to Sakura-chan." She brushed past him without a glance. Just as she got to the doorway, she was startled to a halt. "Sakura-chan!"

The teen had one towel wrapped around her body and another around her hair. "I was just coming with the water. I'm sorry I took so long."

"It's okay. I finished washing up." She glanced past her friend and her features immediately brightened. "Sushi-sama!" She gave him a hopeful smile. "Did you find them? Were they all right? Were they … were they …"

"They were fine." His expression was as soft and warm as ever. "They weren't too happy, of course, but they did not put up an argument when I lead them back to their ship."

Sakura felt as if the weight of the entire island had been lifted off her shoulders and she let her body relax for the first time in hours. "Thank heavens." Suddenly, her eyes flashed wide. "I should make something, maybe some sweet bean paste buns, to take to them, by way of apology."

Hitomi frowned. "Those men tried to rape you. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I know." Sakura turned sheepishly away. "But still … I-I could have killed them."

"Nothing less than they would have desired." Hitomi said coldly.

"Onee-chan! How could you say that?" Sakura stared at her in shock. "No one has the right to take another's life; not for any reason."

Hitomi turned and stared at Sushi.

Ignoring Hitomi's stare, Sushi replied. "Anyway, their ship set sail already."

"Oh."

Hitomi drew in a deep breath. "Well," she set the pitcher on the counter. "Come on. Let's get you in some clothes." She gently placed her hands upon Sakura's shoulders to guide her down the hall, but turned her head to shoot Sushi another angry glare.

.

After putting on a clean pair of pajamas, Sakura sat on her futon hugging her knees while Hitomi knelt behind her brushing her hair. After a few minutes of silence, Sakura asked, "Yo-you didn't mean what you said, Onee-chan. About those men deserving to die, did you?"

The brush suddenly stopped in mid-stroke. "Of course not, Sakura-chan. I … I was … I was just, … I don't know. Angry, I guess."

Sakura gave a weak laugh. "I guess wanting to apologize to them **was** pretty stupid."

Hitomi set the brush down and pulled Sakura into an embrace. "You know, you truly are an enigma."

"Ugh?"

"Such an accomplished and dangerous martial artist, trapped in the body of a gentle and innocent girl."

Accepting her friend's comfort and support, Sakura slowly began to feel the overwhelming burden of guilt slow rise off of her. "I just hope Sushi-sama can find it in his heart to forgive me," she whispered. She suddenly felt her friend's arms pull away from her. She turned slightly to get a look at Hitomi.

"What reason could there possibly be for you to need or even want Ueda's forgiveness?"

Sakura was taken aback by Hitomi's informal use of Sushi's surname. "I-I just meant, Sushi-sama didn't train me in the arts to use it as a weapon to harm people, not even bad people. Martial arts should be used to help the weak and the innocent, especially the power to control the elements. What I did, it goes against everything Sushi-sama taught me."

The next thing she knew her hairbrush was resting in her hands. Her eyes followed her friend as she pulled on her sweater. Though the candle light was dim and irregular, she could see Hitomi's jaw was firmly set and her eyes were hard. "Onee-chan, did I do something wrong?"

When Hitomi looked down, her express softened somewhat as she broke into a weak smile. "No, Sakura-chan. I need to be getting back to my grandmother." She ran her hand gently across Sakura's cheek. "I'll stop by tomorrow to check on your wounds, all right?"

"Mmm," Sakura nodded. "Thank you for everything, Onee-chan."

Hitomi's smile became more genuine and she planted a kiss on top of Sakura's head. "Get some sleep now. You need your rest." She walked to the doorway but stopped long enough to see Sakura get under the covers. They shared a last wave as they each mouthed, "goodnight".

Moments after Hitomi started walking down the hall, Sushi appeared. "Are you all right, Sakura-chan?" He whispered softly.

She nodded with lidded eyes. "I'm sorry, Sushi-sama." She paused. "I should never have used what you taught me to harm those men."

Sushi knelt down next to her. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did the right thing in defending yourself." He brushed Sakura's hair off her forehead and kissed her there. "Now go to sleep."

"Thank … you … Sssuuushi- … sssammmmm…." And she was asleep.

"You're the one who needs to apologize to her." Hitomi said from the doorway.

Sushi stood and turned to her. "I would have done the same thing to them if it were you they attached, or any other person on this island."

Hitomi's jaw fell open. After a few deep breaths, she regained her composure. "That is not the point." She turned to leave but stopped. "And since you apparently forgot, it was me during my first year here on the island, and you did beat **those** sailors senseless but you didn't kill them. You brought them to the Keisatsukan to face justice, like you should have done this time as well." Pulling her sweater tightly around herself, she left.

.

Sakura sat in the washitsu in Hitomi's grandmother's house altering some skirts her friend had given her. She held up the one she was working on and asked, "Like that?"

Hitomi took a moment before stopping with the one she was working on then looked over and examined the few stitches Sakura had sewn. "Yes, just like that, but be sure to keep the stitches short so you can barely see them. Like this." She showed the younger woman the skirt she was altering. "That way the hem looks almost invisible."

Sakura examined the acupuncturist's handiwork and after close inspection returned to her own project. They sat sewing and making small talk for over an hour. While it was pleasant enough, Sakura could not help but notice that she was initiating most, or rather pretty much all of the conversation and Hitomi while not frowning was not her usual happy self. Sakura tried asking Hitomi about it, first asking if she felt well and then later asking if something was troubling her. Both times her friend smiled and assured her that everything was fine. Later that afternoon Hitomi taught Sakura how to prepare some new dishes which they shared with Lady Himekawa. In the evening, they went over to Ueda's home to trim the flowers in the garden and practiced flower arranging. Like nearly everything else she did, Sakura had a natural affinity for arranging flowers.

Sakura sat back and studied the arrangement she just finished. "I hope Sushi-sama likes it." She smiled.

"Of course, he'll like it." Her friend smiled faintly then stood up and stretched, and under her breath whispered, "Is there ever anything you do that Sushi-bozu doesn't like?"

Sakura gave a short gasp.

Hearing her friend's reaction, Hitomi quickly responded with a mild giggle. "Sorry, I'm just really tired. I'll stay the night if you like?" She gave another stretch and an exaggerated yawn.

The younger woman forced a smile and shook her head. "No, that's not necessary. The last thing I want to do is force you out of your comfortable bed and onto a hard futon on the floor."

Hitomi's expression softened. "Seriously, Sakura-chan, I don't mind spending the night."

Sakura stood up. "I'll be fine, really." Then she bowed low. "Thank you for teaching me so many things today. I look forward to tomorrow, Onee-chan."

The older woman bowed politely in return, "Till tomorrow" and then she left.

Sakura dropped to her knees, a look of sadness formed on her face. She had spent the entire day in the company of her best friend. The woman, Sakura loved and respected as her big sister. And while Hitomi said and did all the right things, Sakura could not help but feel as if she had spent the day with a complete stranger. She looked at the two flower arrangements on the table. Both were quite beautiful and well balanced. Looking at the remaining flowers that were sitting on a newspaper on the table, she stood up and gathered up the papers and threw them away in the kitchen. She returned to the washitsu with a pitcher and watered the two arrangements. Going through her normal routine before heading to bed, she paused briefly in the garden to look up at the stars. Sushi would not be home till late tomorrow from the big island. These past two days were the first time her sensei had left her side since the incident over a week ago, and even then, she had to do some serious persuading to convince him she would be all right on her own. In the end, it was only after Hitomi had offered to spend the days with her did Sushi finally agree to go.

She had been looking forward to spending the night with Hitomi. The last time her friend slept over, they spent half the night talking and sampling all different types of tea. In anticipation of her spending the night, Sakura had picked up several varieties of tea from the market. However, the way Hitomi had been all day and especially that last remark convinced Sakura that spending the night with her was probably the last thing her friend wanted to do. _What did I do? Why is Onee-chan angry with me?_ She sighed, then got up and headed for her room. Lying on her futon and staring up into the blackness, she started running through the events of the past days to see if she could remember anything that she might have done that could have upset Hitomi. There was no reason to focus on today because Hitomi was already acting differently towards her since she went by her place that morning. Upon reflection, Sakura realized that despite the fact that it was Hitomi who had offered to watch over her while Sushi was away, the older woman's behavior towards her had already begun to change. So when did it start?

Sakura thought back to the day of the attack. Onee-chan was so gentle and supportive while she bathed me. Afterwards, while Onee-chan brushed my hair, she hugged me tight. But… but then … when I mentioned Sushi-sama, Onee-chan backed away and left. Then the next day, she came over to treat my wounds, and she seemed … I don't know, … upset, I think, that Sushi wouldn't leave my side even when Onee-chan told him he could go.

Sakura sat up abruptly, her mind racing; piecing the events of the past week together. Hitomi was unusually quiet when she accompanied Sushi-sama and me to the market. Sakura drew in a sharp breath. Sushi-sama held my hand the hold time, to and from the market. Her eyes grew as large as saucers. And when Onee-chan came to get me so I could take a bath at her place, she left without saying a word when she found out Sushi-sama heated all the water in the tub for me. Then, remembering the events earlier that day, especially, Hitomi's last comment. 'Is there ever anything you do that Sushi-bozu doesn't like?'

"Oh my gosh! Hitomi-oneechan is jealous of me! Bu-But, why?" She pressed her forehead down upon her knees. Bolting upright, she exclaimed, "It's because Onee-chan is in love with Sushi-sama! That's why she's mad at me. Sushi-sama has been paying extra special attention to me since the attack and she's jealous because she LOVES Sushi-sama."

Sakura laid back down. "Oh, Onee-chan." She hugged herself tight. Slowly, a smile crept across her face. "Okay, well, if that is what it is, then there is only one thing for me to do. I will do my best to bring the two of them together." Sakura relaxed her hold and pulled her sheet over herself. Grinning widely, she let her eyes flutter shut. "Oh, Onee-chan, you're so silly. Why didn't you tell me?" She drifted off to sleep.

.

.

Akari Unryu came thundering down the street riding her pet pig, the 14th yokozuna, Katsunishiki. Trash cans, stray cats, shopping carts, and several people who were too slow to move out of the way of the giant pig were sent flying in all directions. The mighty boar came to a screeching halt in front of the Tendo household. The attractive, young teen hopped off her beloved pet and gently caressed his snout.

"That's a good boy, Katsunishiki-kun." She pulled out a treat and fed it to him. "Now you wait here and I'll be back with Ryoga-kun in a little while."

The champion sumo gave a small nod and plopped himself down, making the street shake and gates rattle.

Akari patted his snout one more time. "That's a good boy." Then she opened the gate and walked in.

.

Akane and Ryoga sat quietly on the porch of the dojo staring up at the clouds and every so often releasing a contented sigh. Ryoga stole a glance at Akane. Her mood had been dark ever since the concert but today there was a faint but genuine smile on her face. The boy smiled to himself. _I could deal with a life like this._

.

Akari walked in the main entrance and called out to see if anyone was home. Nodoka responded and a moment later came down the hall wiping her hands on her apron. "May I help you?"

The teen bowed. "Hello ma'am. My name is Akari Unryu. I am looking for Ryoga Hibiki-kun. I was told he may be here."

The girl looked innocent enough for Nodoka's liking, but still she hesitated a moment.

"You see …" Noticing the woman's hesitation, Akari felt some explanation was in order. "I am Ryoga-kun's girlfriend." She bowed her head modestly.

Nodoka's eyes lit up. "Ryoga-kun's girlfriend! Why did you not say so? I am Nodoka Saotome." She bowed politely.

"Oh! Ranma-san's mother." Tears instantly spring from the girl's eyes and she bowed low. "You have my deepest and sincerest condolences. Ranma-san was a good friend. Ranma-san helped me in my pursuit of Ryoga-kun. For that I will forever be eternally grateful to Ranma-san."

Nodoka offered up a gracious smile and gracefully placed her hands upon her chest. "Thank you. It warms my heart to know that my son had such good friends. Please, come with me and I will take you to Ryoga-kun."

Akari slipped off her shoes and followed Nodoka into the house. As they passed the shrine room, she paused and looked in. "May I take a moment to offer up a prayer?"

"Of course." Nodoka gestured to the room. "By all means, take as long as you like."

Akari walked into the room and knelt down in front of Ranma's shine. She pressed her palms together and closed her eyes, offering up a prayer. A few minutes later, she rejoined Nodoka back in the hallway. Watching the girl wipe away the moisture from her eyes, Nodoka instantly felt an affinity to her. Continuing down the hallway, Nodoka said, "I'm sorry Ryoga-kun has not been to see you in such a long time. I'm afraid it is my fault. I asked him to stay to help Akane-chan through this difficult time."

Akari nodded. "I'm sure it has not been easy for Akane-chan."

Nodoka nodded. "She tries to be strong. She insists on believing my Ranma is still alive. That belief gives her the strength to get through each day. Ryoga-kun has been a great source of support to her as well."

.

Ryoga shifted a little, bringing him slightly closer to Akane. _It's now or never. _He told himself. _Just take her hand and tell her how you feel. _Seeing Akane still staring up at the clouds, he slowly worked his trembling hand closer to hers.

"Ryoga-kun, you have a guest." Nodoka said upon entering the dojo.

Ryoga jumped to his feet, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. Akane turned and smiled at seeing who the guest was. "Akari!" She spring to her feet and ran over to greet the girl. "It's so good to see you!" She startled the girl by pulling her into a warm embrace. Feeling Akari stiffen up, Akane quickly backed off. "Sorry."

"No, that's quite all right." Akari returned Akane's hug. "It is so good to see you again, Akane-chan." The two girls smiled warmly at each other.

"Akane-chan," Nodoka stepped forward to grab her attention. "Why don't you take our guest over to the washitsu while I make some tea?"

"Yes, of course." Akane turned towards Ryoga, who was still standing dumbfounded on the porch. "Let's go to the washitsu. We can talk there." The three women left the dojo leaving the young man at a total loss. He finally shook himself free of his confusion and made his way after them. Ryoga reached the washitsu just as Akari began explaining why she was in Tokyo.

"The tournament begins tomorrow. Katsunishiki-kun has the last match of the day. There are three other yokozuna competing in the tournament so it will be very difficult for Katsunishiki-kun, but he feels very confident in his ability to win his third straight Grand Sumo Tournament."

Akane tilted her head slightly. "I thought the grand sumo tournament was not until May?"

Akari smiled. "For human sumo that is true, but pig sumo grand tournaments in Tokyo are held in March, July, and November. This is the first major tournament of the season." She turned towards Ryoga. "I was hoping you would come and join me," she looked down at her lap. "To help, cheer Katsunishiki-kun on to victory." She stool a glance up at him. "And, to keep me company."

"Uh …" was the extent of Ryoga's response.

Akane looked from one then the other and suddenly felt very uncomfortable sitting at the table between them. "I-I'll go see what is taking the tea so long." She hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Akari looked up when Akane stood and watched her leave the room. She stared at the empty doorway a moment longer before stealing a glance at Ryoga. Seeing him staring down at his clasped hands, she returned her gaze to her lap. "I'm sorry for coming unannounced. I don't mean to be a nuisance."

Ryoga looked up abruptly. "You're not a nuisance, Akari-san." He gradually lowered his eyes again. "It's just, … the Tendos really need me right now."

"Especially, Akane-chan?"

Ryoga's eyes went wide but he kept his gaze down.

"I know Ranma-kun was a dear friend of yours, and I know Akane-chan is having a hard time coming to grips with his passing. I don't mean to be cold or insensitive, truly I do not. Ranma-san was so kind and caring…"

Ryoga clenched down on his clasped hands.

"If it were not for Ranma-san, I don't think I would have had the courage to continue pursuing you. I counted him as one of my true friends as well, but it has been almost a year now… and … I miss you greatly." Her cheeks turned a rosy red.

Ryoga built up enough courage to glance over at his girlfriend. Seeing her rosy cheeks and glistening eyes made his heart ache. _She's so unbelievably cute, and she truly cares about me. How big a fool are you, Ryoga Hibiki? I have a girl who loves me and wants to be with me, and here I am ready to throw that love away for a girl who can't admit to herself that her selfish, arrogant, self-centered fiancé is dead. _ Harnessing all of his courage and taking in a deep breath, Ryoga straightened up and looked squarely over at his girlfriend. "Akari-san."

The girl modestly looked up at her boyfriend.

He drew in another deep breath. "The truth is-"

"Sorry it took so long." Akane entered the room carrying the tea tray. "Saotome-obasama insisted on adding some sweets. I hope you like them." She set the tray down with a bit of a thud and with shaky hands she served each a cup and a pastry. "So, Akari, Katsunishiki-kun is competing in the grand tournament, that sounds so exciting. I'm sure Ryoga would be only too happy to join you. Aren't you, Ryoga?" She gave him a big, nervous grin.

"Ahhh…"

"See! He's so exited he's totally speechless." Akane grinned stupidly.

Akari smiled hopefully. "Really, Ryoga-kun?"

"Ahh…"

"See!"

"Oh, Ryoga-kun!" Akari was totally flustered. "I'm so happy. I was so afraid that you no longer cared." She wiped away a stray tear and stifled a sob. "You will come and stay with Katsunishiki-kun and I, won't you. We're staying at the TokyoDome Hotel. That is where the tournament is being held."

Ryoga looked from Akari to Akane and back. How did he get to this point? He was just about to tell Akari… His train of thought was interrupted when Akari and Akane both stood and exchanged an embrace. Then his girlfriend turned and looked at him.

"Ahh…"

"You are coming, aren't you?" She smiled.

Ryoga's shifted his gaze between the two girls. Finally, he managed to make out more than one syllable. "I-I'll need some time to get my things together." He stood up and started heading for the door. Pausing a moment, he looked back and said. "Akane-san, I-I could use your help, if it is not too much trouble?"

"Of course, I'll be right there." Turning to her guest, Akane said. "We'll only be a moment."

"That's fine. I left Katsunishiki-kun outside the gate. I told him I'd only be a little bit so I should go out there and make sure he is alright."

Akane nodded.

Akari smiled. "Thank you, Akane-chan." The girl headed for the main gate while Akane went to the guest room to help Ryoga pack.

In the guest room, Akane entered to find Ryoga slowly packing his belongings into his backpack. She paused a moment at the doorway before entering the room and picking up the first thing she came across, one of Ryoga's many bandanas. Kneeling down in front of him, she offered her yearlong companion a faint smile. "You must be very excited."

Ryoga looked up. "Hmm?"

"To be able to spend time with Akari again; I know you must have been missing her greatly. I'm sorry for keeping you from her so long." She stretched out her hand and gave the poorly folded bandana to Ryoga.

He took it absentmindedly and stared at it for a minute. Finally, he looked up at her. "Akane-san, there is something I must tell you. I've been meaning to tell you for some time now." He hung his head. "I just never had the courage to tell you."

"I think I know what you want to say, Ryoga." Akane lowered her gaze.

"You do?" His eyes went wide.

"And I don't blame you. When two people spend as much time together as we have these past months, it's only natural for feelings to begin to develop." Her cheeks took on a pale hue. "I have to admit, I-I started developing some feelings as well."

Ryoga's eyes grew even wider. "You have?" Hope surged through his body.

"But it can never be." She looked him square in the eyes. "Your Ranma's friend, and when he comes back…" She shook her head. "It would be too awkward; besides, you have Akari." Akane offered him a faint smile before turning her gaze from him. "She loves you and you love her. That's the way it-"

"I LOVE YOU, AKANE-SAN!" Ryoga blurted out. His face turned beet red.

Akane was stunned to silence. She looked up at him wondering if she really heard him say what she thought she heard him say. After a few moments, she replied. "You don't really mean that. It's just because we've been spending so much time together, that's all."

"I've loved you from almost the first time I met you." He looked down at his hands. "At first, I just saw you as an ally of Ranma's, but shortly thereafter I realized what a kind and caring person you really were. I couldn't help but fall in love with you."

"But Akari …"

Ryoga hung his head low. "Akari-san is a sweet girl; warm and compassionate. But the only reason I even agreed to date Akari-san was because I thought … I came to the realization that you and Ranma were …" He turned away from her, but after a few moments he turned back and placed his hands over hers. "But that's all changed now. Ranma is gone and we can be together, forever."

Akane's eyes watered and her lips trembled. Slowly, she shook her head from side to side. "I'm sorry, Ryoga."

"But, why not? You admitted to having feelings for me. I know I could make you happy, Akane-san. I would dedicate my life to making you happy. The only obstacle keeping us from being together is gone now. Without Ranma jealously keeping us apart, there's no reason we can't be together."

Akane was at a loss for words. While she did admit to having feelings for him, they did not come close to the feelings he had for her; and it never dawned on her that Ryoga had feelings for her beyond those of friendship before Ranma's disappearance. Turning her hands over, she took his into hers. "I'm sorry, Ryoga. I'm sorry I never realized how you felt before. Had I known; had I realized…" She looked away for a moment before returning her gaze upon him. "I know Ranma and I fought, a lot, and called each other names, a lot. I know that we publicly denounced the whole engagement thing and blamed our fathers for forcing it upon us." She drew in a deep breath. "But the truth of the matter is, Ranma and I are-"

"Ranma is dead! Those ashes may not be Ranma's but if they're not, then he's either at the bottom of the sea or in the belling of a fish. When are you going to accept the fact that Ranma is gone and is never coming back?"

Akane pulled her hands from Ryoga's and stiffened her posture. "If you really felt that way, why did you stay here all this time?"

"I was trying to help you get over your loss. I was trying to help you move forward with your life. I was trying to…" He trailed off.

Understanding filled Akane's eyes. "You were trying to get me to fall in love with you, weren't you? You were trying to steal my heart away. You weren't here to help me cope with losing him, you were here to try and win me for yourself. How could you do that to him? How could you do that to your friend?"

"Ranma was never my friend! He was my rival, my sworn enemy, the cause of all my suffering!" Ryoga swallowed hard. He could not believe he just blurted that out. While he meant every word, saying those things to Akane, Ranma's fiancé, was just asking for her to hate him, and he was not disappointed.

Akane turned away for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, when she turned back towards Ryoga it was with a cold, hard look he had never seen her send in his direction. "You should leave, now."

He had to try and salvage his relationship with Akane, even if it meant only being friends. "Akane, I'm so-"

Akane sprang to her feet and with her hands clinched, she screamed, "I SAID LEAVE!"

Ryoga flinched. He had seen Akane unleash her anger on Ranma countless times, but having her direct her fury his way was something he had never experienced. His eyes quivered in sadness. Taking one last look around the room, he closed his bag and slung it over his shoulder and headed for the door. He paused a moment, wanting to say something, anything; anything that would keep it from ending like this but seeing the burning rage radiate from the girl he loved told him his only option was to leave silently, so he turned and walked away.

Akane hung her head, and slowly dropped to her knees, whispering to herself, "How could I have been so stupid? How could I have been so blind? I hate you, Ryoga." She bent over until her head touched the floor. "I hate you, Ryoga. I hate you, Ryoga! I HATE YOU!"

The boy in question stopped along the path to the gate, having heard Akane's shouts as clear as day. Tears began to stream down his cheeks. He took one last look back at the Tendo house, knowing in his heart that he would never again be welcomed here. Wiping his eyes roughly with his sleeve, he continued out the gate. Looking from side to side, he sighed. "Akari-san must have gotten tired of waiting for me. Which was that hotel she said she was staying at?" He started to walk but heard and felt the thunderous hooves of a large beast. He stopped and looked around once more. A moment later, Katsunishiki came rounding the corner with Akari on his back. He came to a screeching halt in front of his master's boyfriend and gave him a full body lick. Ryoga whipped the pig slobber from his face. "It's good to see you too, Katsunishiki-san."

Akari looked sadly down at the man she loved. "Is everything all right, Ryoga-san?"

Ryoga took one last look at the Tendo home then turned back to his girlfriend and said with a sober expression. "Yes, everything is fine." He reached out to take Akari's hand, and mounted the great beast.

Akari smiled, reached behind herself and grabbed Ryoga's hands to pull them around her waist. "Hold on tight. Riding Katsunishiki-san can be pretty rough."

Ryoga blushed but before he could protest, Katsunishiki thundered off and he tightened his grip even more around Akari to keep from being thrown. A moment later, he looked back at the Tendo compound. _Farewell Akane-san. _A tear rolled down his cheek.

.

.

Certain of the cause of Hitomi's change in attitude towards her and of how to fix it, Sakura woke extra early the following morning, bathed and dressed, and made her way to Lady Himekawa's house. She took a small detour into town and picked up some sweet buns before arriving at her destination. It was still very early so she entered without announcing herself but instead made her way to the kitchen and set about making breakfast to go along with the treats she purchased and some tea as well.

Hitomi stirred smelling the subtle odors in the air. "Grandmother?" she asked but she knew that was wrong. Her grandmother never woke before nine and a quick look at her clock told her it was not yet eight. She rose and slipped on her robe, quietly, carefully making her way to the kitchen. She turned into the room in time to see Sakura tearing seaweed to add to the miso soup. "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura turned with a smile. "Morning, Onee-chan," She said brightly, bowing. "I hope you slept well." She added.

"Ah, yes… yes quite well, thank you." Hitomi shook her head. "What are you doing here so early this morning?"

Sakura tossed the last of the seaweed into the soup then turned towards her friend while wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing. A serious expression crossed her face and she said, "We need to talk." Her expression lightened. "But breakfast will take a few more minutes so why don't you freshen up and I'll meet you in the washitsu when you are done." She checked the rice cooker. "Though the rice will be reading in ten more minutes so don't take too long." She smiled.

"O-Okay." Hitomi scratched the top her head then slowly turned and went to the bathroom.

A short time later, Hitomi walked into the washitsu to find the table set and Sakura beginning to serve up the rice.

Sakura looked up with a smile. "Right on time."

Hitomi sat on her floor cushion feeling a little off balance by Sakura's early morning arrival. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. "It smells delicious." She smiled.

Sakura returned the grin and bowed politely. "Thank you. I only hope it tastes as good as it smells."

They picked up their chopsticks and began eating. After several minute, Sakura set her chopsticks down, took a sip of tea and cleared her throat. Seeing her friend sitting with her hands folded properly over her lap, Hitomi understood that their conversation was about to commence. She set her chopsticks down; also taking a sip of tea then placed her hands upon her lap as well and waited for Sakura to speak.

Sakura inhaled sharply then slowly let it out. "Hitomi-oneechan, I could not help but notice a difference in your …" she paused a moment to reconsider her words. "Well, in the way you've been behaving towards me, these past few days." Observing the subtle change in expression on her friend's face, she plowed forward before she could interrupt. "And I think I know the reason why. It's because of how Sushi-sama has been so overly protective of me since the incident with the sailors. Isn't it?"

Hitomi shifted her gaze upon her lap, knowing that while she tried to act the same as she always had towards her friend, the anger she felt towards Sushi Ueda made it difficult to remain passive.

"It's because you're jealous."

Hitomi's eyes popped, growing as large as cue balls but still she kept her gaze down.

"Jealous, because you are in love with Sushi-sama."

Hitomi's head popped up, her shocked stare meeting Sakura's sympathetic gaze. Sakura smiled back pleasantly. "It is okay, Onee-chan. I'm going to help you. I know Sushi-sama cares for you. I'm going to help him see what a wonderful wife you would make."

Hitomi was shocked beyond words. She knew her behavior had changed since the incident with the sailors but how could Sakura possibly mistake her anger with Sushi for jealously of her? Still unable to piece together an intelligent thought, but feeling the need to say something she began to stammer out, "S-Sa-Sakura-"

"Hitomi!"

"Oh, Lady Himekawa." Sakura sprang to her feet. "Finish eating. I'll tend to your grandmother." Before Hitomi could protest, she was down the hall.

.

.

Akane passed out of the west exit of the Suidobashi Station, south of Tokyo Dome City and walked the Sotobori Street overpass. She had stayed up half the night playing the last conversation she had with Ryoga over and over in her mind. It wasn't until well past midnight that she started to lose some of the anger she felt towards him. Considering everything he had endured over those many months while she made little effort to conceal her melancholy; it slowly became painfully obvious to her just how much he valued her. Then the last words she said to him began to echo in her mind and she remembered how these were the last words she said of Ranma. As she lied in bed allowing herself to be honest with her feelings perhaps for the first time ever, she realized she did not hate Ryoga at all, not even a little. At that moment in the stillness of the night, she missed his stead, sure presence. So in the morning she decided to go and talk to him once more, and find out if it was not too late to mend what she had broken.

Making her way towards the Tokyo Dome, Akane considered what exactly she would say to Ryoga. With her head down, she thought, _I'm sorry, Ryoga for saying those things to you. I don't hate you, not at all. If fact, I … I like you … a lot. I know it may be too late for us, but I just wanted to let you know, … _She paused in thought. With her body in sync with her mind, she stopped walking as well. As her thoughts returned to her she continued along the street. _How very much you mean to m-_

She stumbled back a few stops having run into something solid and immoveable. She looked up to see a young man wearing a yellow shirt, black pants, and a yellow and black bandana turn to face her. He's eyes grew wide as if he had seen a ghost. "Akane-san."

"Ryoga," She wanted to hug him, to kiss him on the check and say all that she had been thinking. Instead, she stood slack-jawed, staring up at him.

"Hmm" He shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

Akane lowered her gaze and saw he was holding two bottles of Raman soda; one in each hand. "Thirsty?" A faint smile crossed her lips.

"Huh?" He followed her gaze. "Oh, I went to get a drink for Akari-san and me. I had some trouble finding our seats again."

Akane looked up past the boy to see the great dome only a few blocks away and let out a sigh. Her smile grew. "Ryoga, I'm glad I ran into you."

His grip on the bottles tightened. Hearing Akane say she hated him once was heartbreaking enough. To endure it again would be too much for his fragile heart to take. "I really need to get back to my seat before Akari-san misses me. Goodbye, Akane-san." He turned and started crossing the street, as usual, heading in the wrong direction.

Akane check each way before rushing into the street and grabbing him by the arm. "You're heading the way." She guided him back to the sidewalk and turned him to face her. "Please, there is something I need to tell you." She looked away, suddenly feeling very timid and insecure, but knowing she had to say what she came all this way to say. Looking back up at him, she continued. "Ryoga, it was unfair of me to get angry at you like that. I had no right to get angry. I had no right to say the things I said to you." The power of his hopeful gaze became more than she could handle and she turned slightly but pressed on. "When I took the time to think about it; about the past two years or so, I realized at last, you must have had feelings for me for a very long time." She looked down shyly, not wanting to look at him if his response indicated she was wrong and she had just imagined it. Not hearing any form of a response from him, she ventured to look over at him for just a moment. His fixed gaze gave her the courage to go on. "You've always been so kind to me, so generous and sweet. Always bringing me gifts when you returned from your journeys, always standing up for me even against Ranma; especially against Ranma, whenever he insulted me. I knew you were a gentleman, but it never occurred to me that the reason …" She paused and took a breath, and then she looked up into his eyes. "The reason you were such a gentleman …" She stopped and swallowed even though her mouth was as dry as sand. "And I was too stupid to see." She stared at Ryoga looking for any type of response, but he just stared back with his eyes set wide and his grip on the bottles so tight his knuckles was white as snow. Akane drew in a deep breath. "But I see-".

"Ryoga-san!?"

"Eep!" Akane jumped back and covered her face from the spray of glass and soda from the bottles Ryoga shattered under the force of his grip.

"Ow! Ryoga-san! Are you alright?" Akari ran up beside him from behind and made a futile effort of trying to pry his hands open.

It wasn't until Akane spoke his name that he came back to himself and exposed his palms.

The glass from the bottles had been reduced to fine sand in his hands. Akari pulled out a handkerchief and gently brushed the powdered glass from his palms and fingers. "Ryoga-san, what happened?" It was only then that Akari noticed Akane. "Oh, Akane-san." She turned to look up at Ryoga whose gaze was fixed on Akane and then she looked over Akane.

Akane bowed, "Hello, Akari." Her eyes shifted back and forth between Akari and Ryoga. She wanted to step forward and help Akari mend Ryoga's hands but seeing the look in the girl's eyes told her it was probably best to let her handle it. "Umm, … So, … did I come in time for Katsunishiki's match?" She smiled weakly.

Akari brightened. "Y-yes! Katsunishiki-san's match isn't for another hour or so. You can join us in the participant's booth." Taking Ryoga by the arm, she turned him about and started towards the Dome. Akane followed along, falling into step with them. "It's a good thing you didn't get too wet Ryoga-san, otherwise you would have to go back to the hotel room to change."

This roused Ryoga from his stupor. He looked down at himself and saw only the tops of his shoes and a part of his sleeves were wet. Akari had already dried off his hands. Sweat beaded up on his brow. He nearly gave his secret away. He nearly transformed into P-chan. _Control, stay under control, Ryoga. _He told himself. _Stay under control._

As they sat through the next few matches, Akane could not help notice the warmth and compassion Akari showed Ryoga. As the time for Katsunishiki's match approached, Akari excused herself so she could go join Katsunishiki. Sitting in the booth with only Ryoga; she mustarded up the courage to speak. "Akari really is a sweet girl." She looked down at her hands for a moment then stole a glance over at Ryoga. "And it is obvious that she cares for you deeply."

Ryoga stared off blankly in the distance.

Akane drew in a deep breath then continued. "I'm sorry for saying those hurtful things to you yesterday, Ryoga."

His head wiped around not sure if what he was hearing was true.

"I was upset and angry, but not really at you. Well, initially at you but after having some time to sort out my feelings, I realized the person I was really angry at was …"

_Ranma, was Ranma_… He was hoping to hear.

"Was myself." Akane finished.

Ryoga blinked in confusion.

"I was angry at myself for being so blind for so long, not realizing how you felt about me, not realizing that you've always been more than just a friend, or at least you've always tried to be." Akane turned from Ryoga just as Akari was entering the arena with Katsunishiki. In a small voice, she said, "Katsunishiki's match is about to begin.

Ryoga's eyes shot up from his lap in time to see Akari smiling apprehensively over at him. She gave him a nervous wave and nearly walked into well dressed gentleman seated in the first row. She bowed apologetically and proceeded to Katsunishiki's end of the ring. Ryoga could see the effect Akari's nervousness was having on Katsunishiki. The giant boar was fidgety, not his usual confident self. Just then, Ryoga knew what he had to do. He stood up; fists clenched, and shouted as loudly as he could, "You're the champion, Katsunishiki-san! Wrestle like one!"

As he entered the dohyo, Katsunishiki looked over and saw Ryoga standing with fists clenched. He then turned to his master and friend, Akari, and saw her beaming with joy and pride. Katsunishiki's confidence soared as he went through the ritual purification of the dohyo and readied himself for his match. Six seconds later, Katsunishiki maintained his yearlong unbeaten streak.

Akane glanced between Ryoga and Akari, and a sad smile played across her face. When Akari began escorting Katsunishiki out of the arena, she took the opportunity to stand and give Ryoga a soft kiss on the cheek. Ryoga, who had been applauding along with the rest of the audience, froze in mid-clap and ever so slowly turned towards Akane. "I'm happy for you, Ryoga. Akari is a wonderful girl and very lucky to have you." She pressed her palm upon his cheek. "Take good care of her."

Ryoga was still in a daze, unable to believe that Akane, the girl he loved for so long had just kissed him, but wait. _But wait. What was that is said? Something about taking care of her … She wants me to take care of her._ He stood up and looked around but did not see her. _Why would she say she wants me to take care of her and then leave?_ He scratched his head, then the rest of what Akane said finally sank in. _I'm happy for you, Ryoga. Akari is a wonderful girl and very lucky to have you. Take good care of her. She wants me to take care of Akari. She thinks I love Akari._ He quickly moved up the aisle and found Akari rushing up to him. She practically leaped into him, pressing her hands and her cheek against his chest for a moment, and then looking up at him with a glowing smile as she raised herself up onto her toes. Ryoga stared back into her eye for a moment before slowing smiling then leaning forward and kissing Akari.

.

On the train ride home, Akane considered Ryoga's words once more. Was she being silly in holding out hope for finding Ranma. It had been nearly nine months now, and he was lost in the middle of a typhoon. The chances of anyone surviving that alone in the open sea had to be next to none, even for Ranma. Was she clinging one to hope simply because she could not stand the idea of saying farewell to Ranma without proper closure? She considered this for the rest of the train ride.

Exiting at her stop, she made a decision. _I do need to move on. The next person who asks me out on a date, I will accept; no matter whom they are._ No sooner did she arrive at this decision that she turned the corner and found herself face to face with Tatewaki Kuno. Akane stopped and stared. _Okay, maybe I'll accept the offer from the second person who asks._

_._

_._

_._

To be continued…


End file.
